mtr, 123RF

SQL Server 2008 R2 news

Data Tank

Article from ADMIN 02/2010

By Björn Bürstinghaus

Just a few months ago, Microsoft published R2, a new minor release of its SQL database server product. We discover what is new in this edition and describe where the various editions differ.

The second version of Microsoft's SQL Server 2008 database server [1] is similar to Windows Server 2008 R2, in that it is a minor release: It doesn't offer an upgrade of the database kernel. However, if you compare the two versions, you'll see that the developers have improved the database server in many places, adapting it to reflect more closely the needs of the users.

As with previous versions, various editions of SQL Server 2008 R2 are available, and some features are available with the free Express Edition. Enterprise-critical features that improve availability and add scalability, however, are only available with the commercial editions. Table 1 gives an overview of the functions that the various editions of SQL Server 2008 R2 include and lists the maximum database size.

Table 1

SQL Server 2008 R2 Editions Compared