SQL Server 2008 and CRM

Posted by Mike Snyder on June 4, 2007  |  Comments (3)

Today Microsoft released a CTP (Community Technology Preview) download of the next version of their SQL Server product. While it is code-named "Katmai", Microsoft said that the product will go to market next year with the name "SQL Server 2008". I haven't been following Katmai too closely, but I did find this marketing-speak on what's new:

"SQL Server 2008 capabilities deliver on the four key areas of the data platform vision.

• Mission-Critical Platform – SQL Server 2008 enables IT groups to be more productive by providing a more secure, scalable, and manageable platform. It includes a new policy-based management framework that shifts from managing by scripts to managing by rules. SQL Server 2008 also protects valuable information in existing applications and disconnected devices. In addition, SQL Server 2008 delivers predictable query performance with an optimized platform.
• Dynamic Development – SQL Server 2008 along with the .NET Framework enables developers to build the next generation of applications. Developers are more productive because they work with business entities instead of tables and columns. They can build applications that enable users to take their data with them and synchronize their data with back-end servers.
• Beyond Relational Data – SQL Server 2008 enables developers to consume any type of data, from XML to documents, and build applications that incorporate location awareness.
• Pervasive Business Insight – SQL Server 2008 provides a scalable infrastructure that can manage reports and analysis of any size or complexity while at the same time empowering users because of its close integration with the Microsoft Office System. This enables IT to drive business intelligence throughout the organization. SQL Server 2008 makes great strides in data warehousing, enabling users to consolidate data marts in an enterprise data warehouse. "

I read these bullets three times and I still don't have a real good idea what new features/benefits will be in SQL Server 2008! However, I assume that at a minimum that SQL Server 2008 will perform faster than SQL Server 2005 and it will integrate better with Microsoft Office 2007. Of course those two benefits will make life easier for all you Microsoft CRM customers out there!

I also found out that Dundas Charts will be included in the SQL Server 2008 product too, so it should allow developers to create much sexier looking reports. That is indeed very exciting. Why didn't the marketing geeks just list that tidbit as a bullet point up above? It should have said: "Your reports will look better!"

Now we just have to wait until next year to get our hands on it.