New Exciting Features of SQL Server 2008

Today Microsoft released SQL Server 2008 CTP. It is almost 19 months since the previous version of SQL Server 2005  is released (Nov 2005). SQL Server 2008 is promised to have many new features for developers and database administrators. When I went through the books online of the new CTP, I've found the following features which are in developers interest

Table Value Parameters

It is quite often required to pass arbitrary  set of values to a store procedure/function for processing. As there is no data type is available for holding a set of values as a parameter, developers use to pass them as delimiter ( generally coma )  separated string to the stored procedure/function. Now SQL Server 2008 supports passing a Table Value parameters which provide an easier way to pass a set of table structured values(rows) to a stored procedure for function.

 

Language Integrated Query

Language Integrated Query , which is abbreviated as LINQ is going to change the way in which developers interact with SQL Server. LINQ enables developers to issue queries against data in terms of their programming language instead of SQL. It enables seamless, strongly typed, set-oriented queries in Microsoft Visual C#® or Microsoft Visual Basic® against the connected ADO.Net stack (SqlClient), ADO.NET DataSet, and the Entity Data Service Mapping provider.

 

ADO.Net Object Services

The Object services layer of the ADO.NET stack enables materialization, change tracking, and the persistence of data as CLR objects. Developers using the ADO.NET Framework can program against a database using CLR objects that are managed by ADO.NET. SQL Server 2008 introduces more efficient, optimized support that improves performance and simplifies development and supports entities.

 

C# Support for SSIS Scripting Task

Are you a C# developer who is struggling to develop a Script Task/Component in SQL Server Integration Services(SSIS) using VB.NET?  Your worries are going to end soon. SQL Server 2008 is supporting C# based script task/component along with Visual Basic.NET.

 

Spatial and Location data

SQL Server 2008 includes support for vector-based data and location based data. This enables developers to build location-aware applications that capture geographical information from within the organization and integrate the data into applications.

For further details read white paper on SQL Server 2008 by Microsoft Corporation