Microsoft has released its latest edition of SQL Server to manufacture.

SQL Server 2008 is not expected to make much impact on the market for another eight months to a year. A fully-functional 180 day trial version for evaluation is also now available from the Microsoft site and it has already been packed off to Microsoft Developer Network and TechNet subscribers.

The new SQL has a number of features to improve scalability, support for policy-based management, auditing, large-scale data warehousing, geospatial data and advanced reporting and analysis services. Microsoft has been falling behind competitors such as Oracle and IBM and many of its partners are hoping that the release will mean that it will be back in the race.

Currently the reason that Microsoft is even in the running is because it is a lot cheaper than anything Oracle and IBM can come up with, even if it does only have 80% of the functionality. Take up will probably not happen until Microsoft's releases its Small Business Server 2008 in November.

Resellers will want to tailor SQL Server 2008 to the SBS product. X

Check out
Technewsworld