Key Features of SQL Server 2008

While at TechEd 2008, I obtained a listing of the key features of Microsoft SQL Server 2008. I have been wondering what the new features are and which ones I might be most interested in. I really like this particular list since it is so concise. I just ran across the list again and decided to share it here.


Manageability

1. Simplify enterprise-wide configuration with Policy-Based Management.
   
   
2. Troubleshoot, tune, and monitor SQL Server 2008 instances across the enterprise with Performance Data Collection.
   
   
3. Script database maintenance tasks with Windows PowerShell(tm)
   

OLTP

1. Help protect sensitive data with Transparent Data Encryption
   
   
2. Audit all actions for more comprehensive security and compliance
   
   
3. Prioritize workload processing with Resource Governor
   
   
4. Minimize downtime with hot-add CPU support
   
   
5. Help ensure business continuity with enhanced clustering capabilities and support for the new Windows Server 2008 clustering improvements
   
   
6. Increase database resiliency with enhanced database mirroring that enables automatic recovery page of damaged pages
   
   
7. Build peer-to-peer replication solutions quickly with enhanced wizards and topology management tools
   

Data Warehousing

1. Enhance data warehouse ETL solutions with change data capture and the MERGE statement
   
   
2. Benefit from improved lookup performance in Integration Services
   
   
3. Reduce physical storage requirements for large data warehouses with data compression
   
   
4. Enhance data warehouse query performance with partition-based parallel query processing and start schema optimizations
   
   
5. Optimize storage space for NULL values with sparse columns

Business Intelligence

1. Build high-performance analysis solutions with enhanced wizards, tools, and best practice warnings in Business Intelligence Development Studio
   
   
2. Increase OLAP performance with writeback to MOLAP support and block computations
   
   
3. Build high-performance reporting solutions with re-architected Reporting Services
   
   
4. Create flexible report formats with new Tablix data regions
   
   
5. Increase report value with rich text formatting and expanded chart support

Application Development

1. Web-enable your data with ADO.NET Data services
   
   
2. Simplify data access code with Language Integrated Query (LINQ) and query SQL Server databases with LINQ to SQL
   
   
3. Take data offline with SQL Server Compact and synchronize your data with the new Microsoft Sync Framework
   
   
4. Model your data with the ADO.NET Entity Framework
   
   
5. Apply consistent query syntax and use LINQ to Entities to manage entities
   
   
6. Use new data types and Transact-SQL capabilities to build powerful relational data applications
   
   
7. Integrated data stored in file system stores with FILESTREAM support
   
   
8. Build geospatial data applications with the geography and geometry data types

Hope that helps.

Joe Kunk
Okemos, MI