I have received a ton of private mail on this, hence rather than just pasting the same answer in I’m going to take it on here. Interestingly enough I explained this problem, with a slightly different context, back when 2005 SP1 came out here , but...

Get it here

While SSIS has always been able to load SQL Server at high speed it doesn't use any of the high speed Oracle APIs that are available. Well there is now a new high performance loader for Oracle and another one for Teradata. Downloads are here.

One of the most common asks for SQL Server related to servicing/patching (after uninstall of updates/SPs) is the production of slimstreamed media, ie where the Update/SP and the RTM are included together in a single plackage. Now there are a couple of...

Ok so not everything for SQL Server 2008 is available yet, Report Builder is going to have a lag, you can find RC 1 here. This should work with RTM SQL 2008. Here are some of the changes from the last RC; Easy to use wizards for creating table,...

Get it here. That should not be all the pieces of SQL Server 2008 available.

Get it here. No tools or advanced services yet, but they will be here shortly. Good info on this page but beware its download link points to 2005 still.

In short there is a "rolling thunder" plan to both release bits and update all the sites. Yesterday the MSDN subscriber sites were updated, also the MVP and TAP sites. Today Eval Edition and Feature Pack became available

Ok lots of folks are confused and are having their installations bounced. There is some info in the release notes but this is the definitive KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956139 Let me try and explain; SQL Server 2008 has dependencies on (and...

I'm forward dating this, but as you read this the bits should start becoming available. Congrats to the team on a focused release < 3 years since the last release. The various SKUs and supplimental bits such as the Feature Pack are going to be coming...

Details are here http://blogs.technet.com/dataplatforminsider/archive/2008/06/07/sql-server-2008-rc0-now-available-for-subscribers.aspx More info once I have mine downloaded and installed under Hyper V

Read all about it here http://blogs.technet.com/dataplatforminsider/archive/2008/06/04/new-logo-for-sql-server-2008.aspx Remind me to write a long and painfu post about the battle with Central Marketing during SQL 2000 as to why it was better(or NOT...

Somehow I managed to miss this one (thanks to Erland for the pointer). Folks have been asking for access to docs on TDS since before I was involved in SQL Server, well now you can peruse(all 124 pages) to your hearts content. http://msdn.microsoft.com...

Ever had to take over the code for a system you did not define? Ever found the documentation for such an app, to be ahemmm lacking?   Its  a fairly common ask from new app developers/ DBAs to find out if certain code is still being used for...

The SQL 2008, VS2008, Windows Sever 2008 launch event in the US happened this week. Dan Jones has some highlight features that were announced; T-SQL Debugger is back Object Search is back Activity Monitor has effectively been rewritten to improve perf...

Apparently there is an issue in the CTPs of SQL Server 2008 related to leap year. Although there is no known impact on SQL Server 2005 or prior versions at this time. The result of this issue is that SQL Server 2008 services will not start during the...

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2008/prodinfo/download.mspx Update: While this http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/bb851668.aspx page still says Nov it actually takes you to a page that is Feb, or says it is Feb. I'm downloading at home right now, if its...

Here is a nice picture of all the version numbers, now I still see a bunch of folks who are confused by the info that comes out of SQL Server in terms of versions, so try running the following script; set nocount on go select @@version...

Title says it all, but is this really a feature you can benefit from or is it some piece of random engineering that the dev team decided to do because it would be "fun"? One of the big challenges with SSRS has always been config, in fact I would argue...

I've talked about the SQLCAT team before and the great content they produce , you may have had a chance to sit in on one of their sessions at PASS or elsewhere. Well the team is trying a new outlet, richer than the std blog interface, they are testing...

There are a bunch of features in SQL 2008 that have been on the ask list for a VERY long time. I suspect DATE and TIME types will win the prize as I remember asking for these as a customer of 6.5 10 years ago. However one that's been around for a long...

For those of you who remember the "fun" days of the Yukon + Whidbey dance you are likely trying to forget the challenges of getting good builds of both that would work together via the same NetFx, Shell etc. Well this should be much less of a problem...

Just got the following link from Connect ; Looks like the first version of SQL 2008 Express is included. There is sooo much goodness in this CTP it deserves a separate post but some highlights; Upgrade(but not of clusters) Performance Data...

Looks like some folks are confused about the functionality and differences so let me try and explain and give some pointers to great blog entries for more details. SQL2005 Compression was added to SQL Server 2005 as part of SP2 and it was added via a...

(Updated, fixed broken links mangled by Live Writer) Thanks to Francois here is a bunch of info on SQL 2008, some I have posted the base link for before but there is a bunch of new stuff; Check out this elearning - https://www.microsoftelearning...