Maximum SQL 2005 Database Size

Hello! I'm trying to figure out what the ultimate size limitation for a SQL 2005 Enterprise server is. This document is helpful but I'm a bit confused:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143432.aspx

In the document, it says that the maximum database size is 524,258 terabytes; however, it also says that the maximum data file size--which I assume is the .MDF file--is 16 terabytes. My question is, how can you create a 524,258 TB database if the maximum file size 16 TB?

Dumb question, I'm sure...please enlighten me!

Norm

A database have minimum a data file and a log file so

(I quote from that document)

File size (data)

16 terabytes

16 terabytes

File size (log)

2 terabytes

2 terabytes

mean that you can have (528,258-2):16=33016 data files (id est 1 mdf file and 33015 ndf files) and 1 log file.

Or other combination of data and log files that totalize 528,258 terabytes.

|||I still don't understand. If I create a database, call it NewJack, the system automatically creates an .MDF file named newjack.mdf. If that file is limited to 16TB, then my NewJack database can only be 16TB...right?|||

In Management Studio right click on your database go to properties then go to files and file groups, these two properties let you add and remove MDF, LDF and NDF as needed. That is you can place a set of tables in a file group and the indexes in separate file groups try the link below for how you can use the file groups to separate fast growing databases into smaller manageable file groups.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms179316.aspx