SQL Server 2008 (code-named "Katmai") delivers on
Microsoft's Data Platform vision by helping your organization
manage any data, any place, any time. It enables you to store data
from structured, semi-structured, and unstructured documents such
as images, music, documents directly within the database.
SQL Server 2008 delivers a rich set of integrated services that
enable you to do more with your data such as query, search,
synchronize, report and analyze.
Your data can be stored and accessed in your largest servers within
the Data Center all the way down to desktops and mobile devices,
enabling you to have control over your data no matter where it is
stored.
SQL Server 2008 enables you to consume your data within custom
applications developed using Microsoft® .NET and Visual Studio® and
within your service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business
process through Microsoft® BizTalk® Server while information
workers can access data directly in the tools they use everyday
such as the 2007 Microsoft® Office system.
SQL Server 2008 delivers a trusted, productive and intelligent data
platform for all your data needs.
SQL Server 2008 Technologies
SQL Server delivers a wealth of features grouped by core
technologies that enable you to easily consume and understand the
breadth of capabilities available for your business.
ADO.NET Data Services
Microsoft ADO.NET Data Services provides a first-class
infrastructure for the next wave of dynamic Internet applications
by enabling Web applications to expose data as REST-based data
services that can be consumed by client applications in corporate
networks and across the Internet.
ADO.NET Entity Framework
The Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework is an evolutionary
step in data development. It simplifies data access code in
applications by enabling developers to create a customizable
conceptual model for data from any source and easily map it to
business requirements.
Analysis Services
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 helps enable organizations to
build comprehensive, enterprise-scale analytic solutions that
deliver actionable insights through familiar tools.
Data Mining - Predictive Analytics
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 empowers informed decisions with
predictive analytics through intuitive data mining, seamlessly
integrated within the Microsoft Business Intelligence platform and
extensible into business applications.
High Availability - Always On
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Always On Technologies provides a full
range of options to minimize downtime and maintain appropriate
levels of application availability.
Integration Services
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a scalable enterprise data
integration platform with exceptional ETL and integration
capabilities, enabling organizations to more easily manage data
from a wide array of data sources.
LINQ
LINQ is an exciting evolution in data programming that enables
developers to build queries over data directly from within any
.NET-based programming language. LINQ to Entities, LINQ to DataSet,
LINQ to SQL, and LINQ to XML are key implementations of this
powerful technology.
Manageability Microsoft
SQL Server provides a policy-based system for managing one or more
instances of SQL Server along with tools for performance
monitoring, troubleshooting, and tuning that enable administrators
to more efficiently manage their databases and SQL Server
instances.
Native Data Access
Enhanced SQL Server 2008 Native Client provides a high
performance, versatile data access library that enables developers
to take advantage of the new capabilities of SQL Server 2008.
Performance and Scale
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a comprehensive data platform
that can grow with your business. SQL Server 2008 is packed with
technologies to scale-up individual servers, scale-out very large
databases, and optimize performance.
Reporting Services
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services provides a complete
server-based platform designed to support a wide variety of
reporting needs including managed, enterprise, ad-hoc, embedded,
and Web-based reporting and enable organizations to deliver
relevant information where needed across the entire
enterprise.
Security
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 offers security feature
enhancements that help provide effective management of security
feature configuration, strong authentication and access control,
powerful encryption and key management capabilities, and enhanced
auditing.
Spatial Data
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 delivers comprehensive spatial
support that enables organizations to seamlessly consume, use, and
extend location-based data through spatial-enabled applications to
help end users ultimately make better decisions.
Sync Framework
The Microsoft Sync Framework is a comprehensive synchronization
platform that enables collaboration and offline scenarios for
applications, services, and devices. Developers can build sync
ecosystems that integrate any application, any type of data, using
any protocol over any network.