SQL Server 2005 June CTP was released earlier this month. It contains many improvements and is a very important milestone on the way to RTM. If you haven’t upgraded yet, please do so! For the native XML support, I’d like to point out the following. 

MSDN whitepapers:

We’ve updated the MSDN whitepapers and added new ones. Here are the links:

XML feature overview: http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sql2k5xml.asp

XML Best Practices: http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sql25xmlbp.asp

XML Optimizations: http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sqloptxml.asp

XML Generation from tables: http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/buildingxml/xmlanddatabase/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/forxml2k5.asp

XML Options in Microsoft SQL Server 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sql2k5xmloptions.asp

Introduction to XQuery in SQL Server 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sql2k5_xqueryintro.asp

The XML optimizations and XML best practices whitepapers in particular have much more content – some of the new optimizations are very cool! Check these out by following the appropriate links.

When you read these whitepapers, please take a moment to rate their content and their presentation.

Enjoy!

Thank you,

Shankar

Program Manager

Microsoft SQL Server