SQL Server 2012 Released: Eval version available immediately, general availability in April

This is it! Microsoft SQL Server 2012 has been released to manufacturing (RTM), with an evaluation version available immediately. So download the final bits and see for yourself how the new SQL Server version can help you manage any data, any size, anywhere, and deliver breakthrough insights across the organization.

SQL Server 2012 is already making waves:

• Demonstrating proven capabilities   Hundreds of global, industry-leading customers are already deploying SQL Server 2012 to manage and analyze data of all sizes and types, such as Volvo Car Corp., Revlon, the HSN, Sanofi Pasteur, Klout and LG Chemical.
• Setting new performance records   SQL Server 2012 has demonstrated several new performance benchmarks that underscore SQL Server’s ability to scale across the enterprise.
• Highlighting increased ROI   According to a Forrester Consulting commissioned Total Economic Impact (TEI) study on the potential benefits of upgrading to SQL Server 2012, the potential Return on Investment (ROI) is up to 189 percent with a 12-month payback period.
• Enriching industry-leading Microsoft BI tools   SQL Server 2012 is packed with important Business Intelligence (BI) improvements and innovations, such as PowerPivot, Power View, and the all-encompassing Business Intelligence Semantic Model (BISM).
• Tackling Big Data   An Apache Hadoop and Windows Azure-based service connects SQL Server and Microsoft BI tools, such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPivot for Excel 2010 and Power View, with unstructured data and complex data sets hosted in the cloud. Customers interested in signing up for the latest preview should visit http://www.hadooponazure.com.
• Delivering next-generation performance for data warehousing and BI   xVelocity represents capabilities in SQL Server 2012 that brings together the memory-optimized ColumnStore Index, an in-memory analytics engine, and a new query execution paradigm to increase performance by 10-100 times.

In addition to the SQL Server 2012 Eval version, you can also download the final bits for SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint 2010, SQL Server 2012 PowerPivot for Excel 2010, and the SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for Office 2010. For a complete list of all SQL Server 2012-related downloadables, visit the Microsoft Download Center at http://www.microsoft.com/download and search for “SQL Server 2012.”

For more information about SQL Server 2012, including the new features and benefits that are delivered in this release, join us on March 7, 2012 and be a part of the SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event at www.SQLServerLaunch.com.