Understanding the new approach to Service Packs 

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As we’ve previously written about on this blog, we will be releasing Service Pack 3 for SQL Server 2005 in CY2008 following the release to manufacturing of SQL Server 2008. We’ve gotten some questions about the differences between Service Packs, Cumulative Updates and Hotfixes. The following blog entry from the SQL Server Release Services team Read more

David DeWitt joins the SQL Server team 

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I’m happy to report that Dr. David DeWitt, one of the top minds in the database field, has joined Microsoft as a Technical Fellow. David is tasked with starting up a new advanced development lab in partnership with the University of Wisconsin- Madison – the Jim Gray Systems Lab. The naming of the lab is Read more

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SQL Server 2005 SP3 – coming soon 

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Over the last year we have successfully established the Incremental Servicing Model (ISM), which has to date delivered 7 cumulative updates (CU) to our customers, in regular 8 week intervals. We’ve heard feedback from customers of the need for a third service pack for SQL Server 2005. I’m happy to inform you that we will Read more

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Unbreakable? 

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Oracle recently released their latest Critical Patch Update which fixes vulnerabilities “in hundreds of Oracle products”. From a database perspective: it fixes 17 database vulnerabilities, two of them that can be exploited remotely without authentication. There are vulnerabilities in many of their modules, from the core RDBMS to the options like Spatial and Auditing. Seeing Read more

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ISV’s & SQL Server 2008 Applications 

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Technologies such as SQL Server are only as successful as the applications that are built upon them.  Microsoft’s Metro Early Adoption Program provides a programmatic, consistent and predictable way for longstanding Microsoft ISV partners to engage on next-generation technologies, by providing pre-release developer training, support, and rationalization of that technologies’ role in the overall platform.  Read more

Announcing SQL Server Data Services 

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Today Microsoft announced that MIX attendees will preview Microsoft SQL Server Data Services (SSDS), a Web-facing utility-based services designed for businesses and developers that need scalable, highly available, secure and easily programmable on-demand data storage with robust database query capabilities. SSDS offers virtually limitless, on-demand scalability. Customers use the service with minimal up-front infrastructure and Read more

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New SQL Server 2008 Case Studies 

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The momentum for SQL Server 2008 continues. Here are some of the latest case studies published: Russia’s Baltika Breweries Links its ERP Databases using SQL Server 2008 Replication Baltika Breweries, the largest producer of beer in Russia, has about 12,000 employees and 11 breweries. Its popular brands have been the market leader in Russia for Read more

SQL Server 2008 Benchmarks 

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With the launch of SQL Server 2008 today (remember, RTM is still planned for a few months later in Q3 2008) we have just posted a number of record breaking results across industry (TPC-E, TPC-H) and ISV benchmarks. These are really amazing results and the team worked extremely hard to get these published by launch. Read more

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SQL Server 2008 February CTP is here! 

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I’m pleased to announce that we just released the February CTP of SQL Server 2008. As we’ve talked about before, this is the feature complete CTP of SQL Server 2008 which includes all of the functionality planned for the release. Here are some of the top features in this CTP: · Data Compression, which reduces Read more

Heroes Happens Here Online 

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We are now less than 30 days away from launch and our online activities are now heating up. Portrait Gallery Launched Last week, we launched the HHH Portrait Gallery, a Silverlight 1.0 application which allows everyone and anyone to upload stories about themselves – showing why they are IT Heroes, what technology they are using, Read more

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Cool Launch Comic Series 

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Microsoft and Seagate have partnered with Jordan Gorfinkel, former editor of DC comics, to tell the story of our customers and partners, the unsung heroes of the technology world.  We are taking an “outside-in” approach where many of the stories and scenes come from people in the trenches.  The HHH Comic Series launches today at Read more

SQL Server 2008 case studies 

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As we get closer to launch, I wanted to spend a moment to highlight some recently published case studies for SQL Server 2008. Its great to see the excellent work that our customers and partners are doing on our upcoming release. Healthcare Group Upgrading to SQL Server 2008 to Better Protect 2 Terabytes of Data Read more

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