Microsoft SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 delivers on Microsoft's Data Platform vision by helping your organization manage any data, any place, any time. Store data from structured, semi-structured, and unstructured documents, such as images and rich media, 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.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides the highest levels of security, reliability, and scalability for your business-critical applications. To take advantage of new opportunities in today's fast-moving business world, companies need the ability to create and deploy data-driven solutions quickly. SQL Server 2008 reduces time and cost of management and development of applications.

Access data from across your enterprise and provide control over your data no matter where it's stored—from the largest servers within the data center to desktops to mobile devices. SQL Server 2008 provides a comprehensive platform that delivers intelligence where your users want it. Information workers can access data directly using the tools they use every day, such as the 2007 Microsoft Office system.

SQL Server 2008 enables data to be consumed from custom applications developed using Microsoft .NET and Visual Studio and from within service-oriented architectures (SOA) and business processes through Microsoft BizTalk Server.

Features and benefits of using SQL Server 2008

• Application Development: At the heart of a comprehensive data programmability platform that enables you to access and manipulate business-critical data from a variety of diverse devices, platforms, and data services across the enterprise.
  
  
• Business Intelligence: Provide a scalable business intelligence (BI) platform optimized for data integration, reporting, and analysis, enabling organizations to deliver intelligence where users want it.
  
  
• Compliance: SQL Server 2008 helps your organization to address compliance concerns and manage your data through the use of the governance process.
  
  
• Data Warehousing: Provide a comprehensive and scalable data warehouse platform that enables organizations to integrate data into the data warehouse faster, as well as scale and manage growing volumes of data and users, while delivering insights to all users.
  
  
• Online Transaction Processing (OLTP): Provide a scalable, high-performance database engine for mission-critical applications that require the highest levels of availability and security, while reducing the total cost of ownership through enhanced enterprise-class manageability.
  
  
• Server Consolidation: Reduce hardware and maintenance costs by providing a flexible server consolidation solution with enterprise-class manageability and performance.
  
  
• Virtualization: Server virtualization, also known as hardware virtualization, is a hot topic in the IT world because it can provide dramatic cost savings while enhancing a company's agility.

SQL Server Data Services:

Find out how SQL Server Data Services can provide on-demand data storage and query processing web services.

• Microsoft Application Platform: Learn about the Microsoft Application Platform, the set of integrated technologies and tools that enables your business to innovate and create strategic advantage.
  
  
• Migration: If you are ready to migrate to SQL Server from a costly platform such as Oracle, DB2, Informix, and Sybase, or if you are ready to move up to a more feature-rich, robust database platform, get access to SQL Server migration information and tools to help you simplify the process.
  
  
• Upgrade: Upgrading to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 lets you enable people throughout your organization to be more productive while driving valuable business insights.