SQL Server 2008 R2: New and Enhanced Features

In Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, several components have new or improved features. Other components have not changed since SQL Server 2008. This latest release of the SQL Server Database Engine R2 introduces new features and enhancements that increase the power and productivity of architects, developers, and administrators who design, develop, and maintain data storage systems. 

At TechED (technical education) 2009, Microsoft has announced the launch of SQL Server 2008 R2 which was also known to the SQL Server Community by its code name Kilimanjaro. Microsoft will release SQL Server 2008 R2, first Community Technical Preview (CTP) during the second half of 2009. SQL Server 2008 R2 provides lot many new features and capabilities for Business Intelligence users and Database Administrator but nothing much for the Database Developers.

·        Master Data Services (MDS): Master Data Services (MDS) is the new feature added in SQL Server 2008 R2. Master data management (MDM) describes the efforts made by an organization to discover and define non-transactional lists of data, with the goal of compiling maintainable master lists. An MDM project generally includes an evaluation and restructuring of internal business processes along with the implementation of MDM technology. The result of a successful MDM solution is reliable, centralized data that can be analyzed, resulting in better business decisions.

·       SharePoint Integration: SQL 2008 R2 offers new self-service business intelligence capability through integration with SharePoint products and technologies. In this release, Analysis Services and Reporting Services support deployment in a SharePoint farm.

·       Build Robust Analytical Applications: Using Microsoft Office Excel 2010 you can build robust analytical applications which will allow in-memory, column oriented processing engine to allow users to interactively explore and perform complex calculations on millions of data at lightening speeds. Using Microsoft Excel 2010 you can easily integrate data from multiple sources such as corporate databases, spreadsheets and external data sources.

·       Database Compression - SQL Server 2008 R2 introduces Unicode compression. Data that is stored in nvarchar(n) and nchar(n) columns can be compressed by using an implementation of the Standard Compression Scheme for Unicode (SCSU) algorithm. 

·    Increased Performance – there are very nice performance improvements, especially with the combination of Windows 2008 R2 and SQL 2008 R2.  The actual TPC-E measurements on have been audited and published.

·        SSIS - Bulk Inserts with ADO.NET provider are now possible, which is extremely nice because it used to do it a row at a time.  Now, if you check the box to “Use Bulk Insert when possible” then you can see vastly improved performance when it kicks in.

·       Report Builder 3.0 and Reporting Services – Too many great new features in SSRS 2008 R2.  But my favorite is the Report Part feature where you can take an existing report and designate report items and data regions to save and reuse in other reports.  This can amount to a huge time savings for developing new reports.  You many like the improved Sharepoint integration and the performance improvements in Sharepoint.  But that is not all, there are map support, spark lines, and shared data sets. 

·        Capitalize on Hardware Innovation: There was always a demand from customers to increase the number of logical processors supported in SQL Server. In SQL Server 2008 R2 the number of logical processors supported has been increased from 64 to 256 and it will take advantage of the multi-core technology.

The statement " select COUNT(*) from sys.dm_os_schedulers where status = 'VISIBLE ONLINE' " would give an excellent count of the number of logical processors which can be used by SQL Server on a given hardware.

SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition allows a maximum of 8 sockets/processors and up to 256 Logical Processors.

·        Support for Geospatial Visualization: SQL Server 2008 R2 will provide support for geospatial visualization including mapping, routing, and custom shapes. It will also support SQL Spatial and will also provide integration with Microsoft Virtual Earth tiles.

·         SYSPREP – Finally!  We can now create Sysprep versions of SQL Server environments, starting with SQL Server 2008 R2, but only for the relational engine. 

For more details about SYSPREP visit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210754(SQL.105).aspx

·        SMB support – SMB stands for Server Message Block and this protocol is now officially supported by SQL Server 2008 R2 and beyond.  This improvement has formalized the support status of placing SQL database files on SMB network file shares. 

For more details about SMB visit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365233(VS.85).aspx

        To View new and enhanced feature for SQL Server 2008 R2 visit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-           us/library/ff714063(v=sql.105).aspx