SQL Server Yukon

by-http:// www.microsoft.com

Next-Generation Information Management
Learn more about SQL Server 2005 (previously code-named "Yukon"), Microsoft’s next-generation information management solution that will deliver increased scalability, availability, and security to enterprise data and analytical applications while making them easier to create, deploy, and manage.

Organizations today are facing several unique data challenges: the proliferation of data and systems across their enterprise; the need to provide employees, customers, and partners with consistent access to that data; the desire to better equip information workers with meaningful information to drive informed decisions; and the mandate to control costs without sacrificing application availability, security, or reliability.

The next release of SQL Server, code named "Yukon," is designed to help enterprises address these challenges. SQL Server “Yukon” is Microsoft’s next-generation information management solution that will deliver increased scalability, availability, and security to enterprise data and analytical applications while making them easier to create, deploy, and manage.

Building on the strengths of SQL Server 2000, SQL Server "Yukon" will provide an integrated information management solution that will help organizations of any size to:

• Build and deploy enterprise applications that are more scalable, reliable, and secure.

• Maximize the productivity of IT by reducing the complexity of creating, deploying, and managing database applications.

• Empower developers through a rich, flexible, modern development environment for creating more secure database applications.

• Share data across multiple platforms, applications, and devices to make it easier to connect internal and external systems.

• Deliver robust, integrated business intelligence solutions that help drive informed business decisions and increase productivity across your entire organization.

• Control costs without sacrificing performance, availability, or scalability.

Read on to learn more about the advancements SQL Server "Yukon" will deliver in three key areas: enterprise data management, developer productivity, and business intelligence.

In today’s connected world, data and the systems that manage that data must always be available to your users. With SQL Server "Yukon," users and IT professionals across your organization will benefit from reduced application downtime, increased scalability and performance, and tight security controls. SQL Server "Yukon" will also include many new and improved capabilities to help make your organization and IT staff more productive. Building on the flexible approach delivered with SQL Server 2000, SQL Server "Yukon" will support implementations ranging from multi-terabyte data warehouses to mobile devices running Microsoft SQL Server Windows® CE Edition (SQL Server CE).

SQL Server "Yukon" will include significant enhancements to enterprise data management in the following areas:

• Availability. Investments in high availability technologies, additional backup and restore capabilities, and replication enhancements will enable enterprises to build and deploy highly reliable applications. Innovative high availability features such as database mirroring, failover clustering, and enhanced online operations will minimize downtime and help to ensure that critical enterprise systems remain accessible.

• Scalability. Scalability advancements such as table partitioning, snapshot isolation, and 64-bit support will enable you to build and deploy your most demanding applications using SQL Server “Yukon.” The partitioning of large tables and indexes significantly enhances query performance against very large databases.

• Security. Enhancements such as "secure by default" settings and an enhanced security model will help provide a high level of security for your enterprise data.

• Manageability. A new management tool suite, expanded self-tuning capabilities, and a powerful new programming model will provide database administrators with flexible control for day-to-day database operations. Enhancements to SQL Profiler and other tools will also help database administrators tune their servers for optimum performance. These enhancements will help enable database administrators to focus on high value tasks like database architecture while spending less time on routine database operations.

• Interoperability. Technology advancements delivered with SQL Server "Yukon" will enable you to maximize your investment in new and existing systems by integrating and connecting disparate applications and databases within your extended enterprise. Through deep support for industry standards, Web services, and the Microsoft .NET Framework, SQL Server "Yukon" will support interoperability with multiple platforms, applications, and devices. SQL Server is tightly integrated with other Microsoft products as well, from Microsoft Windows Server™ to Microsoft Visual Studio® to Microsoft Office, enabling your organization to save time and money by utilizing technology that works well together.

One of the key barriers to developer productivity has been the lack of integrated tools for database development and debugging. SQL Server 2000 helped break down this barrier by providing tight integration with Microsoft Visual Studio®. SQL Server “Yukon” will provide additional advancements that fundamentally change the way that databases are developed and deployed. Through rich Extensible Markup Language (XML) support and deeper integration with .NET technologies and Microsoft development tools, SQL Server "Yukon" will significantly increase developer productivity and flexibility.

Enhancements for developer productivity will include:

• Improved tools. Developers will be able to utilize one development tool for Transact-SQL, XML, Multidimensional Expression (MDX), and XML for Analysis (XML/A). Integration with the Visual Studio development environment will provide more efficient development and debugging of line-of-business and business intelligence applications.

• Expanded language support. With the common language runtime (CLR) hosted in the database engine, developers will be able to choose from a variety of familiar languages to develop database applications, including Transact-SQL, Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET, and Microsoft Visual C#® .NET. Additionally, CLR hosting will provide developers with increased flexibility through the use of user-defined types and functions. The CLR will also provide opportunities to use third-party code for rapid database application development.

• XML and Web services. Advancements such as XQuery and a native XML data type will help enable organizations to seamlessly connect internal and external systems. SQL Server "Yukon" will support both relational and XML data natively, so enterprises can store, manage, and analyze data in the format that best suits their needs. Support for existing and emerging open standards such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), XML, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), XQuery, and XML Schema Definition (XSD) will also facilitate communication across extended enterprise systems.

Explore the Benefits of XML and .NET Today

You do not need to wait for SQL Server "Yukon" to experience the benefits of XML and .NET. SQL Server 2000 delivers XML capabilities that continue to be improved through releases such as the SQL Server 2000 Web Services Toolkit and SQL Server 2000 Notification Services. In addition, SQL Server CE 2.0 helps to extend enterprise data management capabilities to mobile devices.