Last week Sunday my data center technology seminar at MS campus on SQL Server 2008 had went very well and I am really happy to see lots of companies are more interested and raise thier hands to migrate to SQL server 2008. So I thought to just share some inputs on SQL Server 2008 of my own experience and its really a great work by MS in this release,reducing lots of SQL Server DBA’s and developers work load. In one word I can say SQL Server 2008 is awesome and Microsoft Rocks. They had also launched new editions like WorkGroup and Web,Compact,Express Advanced.
There are several reasons you to choose SQL Server 2008 but I have found some seven reasons why you may require SQL Server 2008.Here is that…
1. Compression. The release will offer row-level and page-level compression. The compression mostly takes place on the metadata. For instance, page compression will store common data for affected rows in a single place.
The metadata storage for variable length fields is going to be completely crazy: they are pushing things into bits (instead of bytes). For instance, length of the varchar will be stored in 3 bits.
2. Query Plan freezing. In some occasions SQL Server decides to change its plan (in response to data changes, etc…).
3. Delimited strings
At present in 2005, we need to pass delimited strings like below
exec spTestProcedure ‘udai,production;gilles,finance;keith,sales’
Then the stored proc needs to parse the string inside the procedure but now in In 2008, Microsoft had introduced a new type called Table Value Parameters (TVP).
CREATE TYPE CustomDeptType AS TABLE (Name varchar(20), Dept varchar(20))
DECLARE @testCustom CustomDeptType
INSERT CustomDeptType SELECT ‘udai’, ‘production’
INSERT CustomDeptType SELECT ‘gilles’, ‘finance’
INSERT CustomDeptType SELECT ‘keith’, ‘sales’
and below is the way you can invoke store procedure
exec spTestProcedure @testCustom
4. Intellisense in the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).This has been previously possible in SQL Server 2000 and 2005 with use of 3rd party add-ins like SQL Prompt ($195).
5.Auditing.
Excellent feature,Thanks Bill.SQL Server 2008 introduces automatic auditing, so here after we don’t need manually initiate the auditing abilities for our DB,may be you can also say no for Apex SQL Audit and your own tools.
6.Unary operator (C# syntax).
You can use the C# unary operator like this SET @count += 2. so finally let a C# developer on the SQL team.
7.Filtered Indexes.
This is awesome feature I personally felt its important . This allows you to create an index while specifying what rows are not to be in the index. For example, index all rows where Status != null. To put in simple words this will get away of all the dead weight in the index which allows for faster queries.
Enjoy SQL Server 2008,You can download the trial version from here
Udai@Technology 