Sunday, December 24, 2006 - Posts

SQL Server 2005 SP2 December CTP released

The SQL Server 2005 team has released SP2 (December 2006).

Some cool fixes are in this release including:

  • A new datatype for the Enterprise Edition database engine: vardecimal. Similar to varchar, this datatype stores only the precision required by the value. There's even a stored procedure included to estimate the reduction in average row size. Cool!
  • Maintenance Plans can now be executed without installing SSIS. Although Maintenance plans remain SSIS packages, selecting the Database Engine option during installation includes the Integration Services execution engine.
  • Logon Triggers!
  • The ability to return text XML query plans when the XML contains more than 127 nested levels.

Some nice touches for SSIS include:

  • The BypassPrepare property of the Execute SQL Task now defaults to True. (Thank you)
  • A new property - ParameterSize - for string parameters in the Execute SQL Task.
  • More variable comboboxes - less variable textboxes.

There are enhancements and improvements to other SQL Server components including:

  • Scripting
  • Management Studio Reports
  • Database Mail
  • The Copy Database Wizard
  • Backup and Restore
...just to name a few!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server 2005 SP2 December CTP
posted Sunday, December 24, 2006 4:24 PM by admin with 1 Comments

An early Christmas present...

In the US and a lot of the world, today is Christmas Eve.

As I type this, I am watching the sun rise over the pastures and woods here in Farmville, VA this Christmas Eve morning. It is warmer than usual - but that sometimes happens here. I remember wearing short sleeves on Christmas Day in years past. I also remember the high temperature for the day being well below freezing. I'll take a warmer day any day! :)

Christmas came a few days early for the Farmville Leonards this year. Christy and I learned we are going to be parents again!

I'm thinking, since the Philadelphia Launch Event of Team Edition for Database Professionals played a role in this, of somehow working this into the name of the child... if it's a boy, maybe we could name him Sylvester Quentin - that would make for cool initials anyway.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Baby Merry Christmas
posted Sunday, December 24, 2006 10:24 AM by admin with 1 Comments