Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Microsoft SQL Server 2008
— Code name “katmai”
— Currently in Beta
— CTP available for free download
— CTP contains working features end-end
— RTM in Q3 2008

System Requirements
— Supported Operating Systems:
— Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
— Windows Server 2008
— Windows Vista
— Windows XP Service Pack 2
— For all download types:
— 32-bit systems:
— Intel compatible Pentium III 600 MHz (1 GHz recommended)
— 64-bit systems:
— 1 GHz CPU
— 512 MB of RAM (1 GB recommended)
— 675 MB of available hard disk space

What’s New?
— Platform Features (DBA)
— T-SQL Features
— Data Types
— Reporting Services

Platform Features
— Transparent Data Encryption
— External Key Management
— Data Auditing (change tracking)
— Hot Add CPU
— Transparent Failover
— Policy Implementation
— Auto Synchronization (conflict detection)

T-SQL Features
— Table Value Parameters
— FileStream Object Storage
— Merge
— Variable initializers
— Row constructors with >1 row
— Compound operators (+=)
— Grouping sets (extension of Group By clause)
— Intellisense added
— New Collations
— CLR UDT 2GB capacity
— Integrated Full Text Search
— Sparse Columns (Indexing)

T-SQL Data Types
— Geometery (for planar shapes, i.e. whse layout)
— Geography (for GPS coordinates)
— HierarchyID
— date
— time
— datetime2
— Datetimeoffset (timezone )

Business Intelligence
— SSRS free with SQL Server 2008
— Incorporates Dundas Controls
— Render to MS-Word
— Scale out Analysis (read-only)
— Subspace computations/aggregations
— New Cube Design Tools
— Best Practice Design Alerts
— IIS Agnostic SSRS