Dan Rigsby - Coding Up Style

SQL Server 2008 was launched as part of the Heroes Happen {Here} event, but it wasn’t yet “released”.  Today, I am happy to report that Microsoft has finally released SQL Server 2008. (This was originally announced at TechEd South Africa) .  It is available now for download from TechNet and MSDN and will be available tomorrow (August 7th) for evaluation download.  You should expect to be able to purchase it within a couple of weeks.

You can check out the key new features here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc434690.aspx. There are also numerous videos out there including:

• SQL Server 2008 Videos
• Webcasts: 24 Hours of SQL Server 2008 for IT Professionals
• Webcasts: 24 Hours of SQL Server 2008 for Developers

During my Heroes {Community} Launch talks I previewed SQL Server 2008 and introduced my 10 favorite new features for developers:

Top 10 SQL Server 2008 Features for Developers

1. LINQ
2. Intellisense for SQL Server Management Studio: T-Sql, database objects, & parameters
3. FileStream Datatype:
   • Designed to solve unstructured LOB (large object) storage, provides performance of native NTFS with transactional support. Data is stored in NTFS, and SQL Server manages relationship between the columns and files. SQL Server manages the transactional integrity such as backing up and restoring data.
4. Date & Time Datatypes: Separate data and time types. Time can now go down to hh:mm:ss[.nnnnnnn]
5. DateTime2 & DateTimeOffset Datatypes: Supports years 0001 to 9999 (much like in .Net); DateTimeOffset is timezone aware, but not daylight savings time!
6. Hierachical Datatype: Allows storage of hierarchical data such as org charts, etc.
   • Only 1 root per table though
7. Spatial Datatypes:
   • Geography: Uses a geodetic (round earth) model and stores points, lines, polygons, and collections of Latitude & Longitude coordinates.
   • Geometry: Uses a planar (flat earth) model which stores the same types of data, but is used primarily for navigation and mapping.
8. T-SQL MERGE Statement: Allows merging of rows from multiple tables. You can choose to update matched rows, insert unmatched rows, or delete unmatched rows from the primary table.
9. Table-Valued Parameters: Tables can be passed as parameters to sprocs.
10. Data Change Tracking
    • Change Data Capture (CDC): This allows you to capture all changes to data in a table into a tracking table.
    • Change Data Tracker (CDT): This similar to CDC, but it doesn’t actually capture the changes made, but captures only that some change was made.

Many companies out there won’t be able to jump on SQL Server 2008  for some time.  Some companies like to wait until new server software has been “proven” first.  However, the SQL Management Studio that is included in SQL Server 2008 has a ton of new features including intellisense.  The best part is that this version can read not only SQL Server 2008 databases, but also those for 2005 and 2000!  You can start using this today and make your life easier!

If you are able to download the software, try it out as soon as you can.  I know what I will be playing with tomorrow!