SQL Server 2008 features and getting through CTP, RC, RTM. Are we there yet?
I'm not going to shoot any questions to Microsoft about RTM release for SQL Server 2008, as it was made it clear from The Data Platform Insider blog post as:
Extract: "Over the coming months, customers and partners can look forward to significant product milestones for SQL Server. Microsoft is excited to deliver a feature complete CTP during the Heroes Happen Here launch wave and a release candidate (RC) in Q2 calendar year 2008, with final Release to manufacturing (RTM) of SQL Server 2008 expected in Q3. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality product possible and we simply want to use the time to meet the high bar that you, our customers, expect."
So before that you can expect a pre-RTM version which is called Release Candidate that sums up the so-called features for SQL Server 2008, from all these CTP releases, one thing to watch that all the features that were given a gist with CTPs may not be involved or included within Release To Manufacturing version. I would like to echo the comments from the same blog post as:
Microsoft is excited to deliver a feature complete CTP during the Heroes Happen Here launch wave and a release candidate (RC) in Q2 calendar year 2008, with final Release to manufacturing (RTM) of SQL Server 2008 expected in Q3.
Buck Woody has given much information within his blog site on the features to talk about and a quote of 'Microsoft Loves DBAs', well that's true from SQL 2008 perspective. So among the features that were mentioned in the blog post by Buck, I like the following features:
Why?
My 1st favourite among SQL 2008 features, a big enhancement to DBA to automate the best-practices policies on surface area and database objects to keep them consistent right from the design level of database. SQL Server 2008 - Declarative Management Framework (DMF) concepts - SQLBits presentation & SQL server 2008 (Katmai) Declarative Management Framework (DMgF) - enforce in multi-server environment
- Data Collector: Allows automatic, declarative collection of trace data, performance counters or transact-sql queries into a single database collection system.
Why?
Very important to get information and perform investigation when a performance problem is complained, a key to DBA to obtain required analysis to solve the problem.
Why?
Slice down the amount of resources on the Server to a particular process, very efficient to avoid any 'dodgy' code from the user that might cause any drain of resources on server side. SQL Server 2008 Resource Governor FAQ
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Installation Enhancements: Re-worked UI to enable faster installations. Also, SSMS Express is now a combined codeset with SSMS (although with less features), allowing a consistent management experience. SSMS can now also be shipped "out of band", meaning that releases of CE can be combined with SSMS so that you don't have to wait on a service pack to connect to CE.
Why?
Saves time to deploy multiple instances, a huge difference you will see if you have to perform unattended installations for further management.
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PowerShell integrated to work with SQL Server: PowerShell, which will ship with SQL Server, is now aware of SQL Server 2008 objects. You have the full scripting constructs of PowerShell against SQL Server Objects. Navigate the SQL Server instance using "CD" commands.
Why?
Why?
Flexibility to the user to export the resuts from the query and what is defined by Buck above.
- Framework Improvements for SSMS: Multiple internal code cleanups and fixes to improve the load time of the Object Explorer tree to over 20 times it's current performance. Also takes much less memory per object to load.
Why?
I have seen the improvement of loading up the SSMS tool when it is installed as compared SQL Server 2005 version and previous CTP installations.
Why?
Much more information for DBAs to resolve or diagnose any query that is performing poorly on a Server instance.
Many more that I will cover in upcoming blog posts here, so keep watching this space!