Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 is the latest release of SQL Server. This article will introduce the top 10 features and benefits of SQL Server 2008 R2. The “R2” tag indicates this is an intermediate release of SQL Server and not a major revision. However, there are a number of interesting new features for both DBAs and developers alike. At the time of this article, R2 is available as a CTP (Community Technology Preview). In addition to new features, there are two new editions as well, SQL Server 2008 R2 Datacenter and SQL Server 2008 R2 Parallel Data Warehouse.

Problem

Is Microsoft SQL Server superior to MySQL or not? What are the pros and cons of using SQL Server over MySQL? Is MySQL mature enough to compete with a big player like Microsoft and Oracle? Can we fairly compare both products?

Solution

In my modest opinion there is not a simple answer to this question, because we are not comparing apples to apples. Microsoft SQL Server is a feature rich database compared to MySQL however; MySQL's goal is not to keep up with MSSQL or Oracle instead; MySQL’s priorities are: reliability, performance, and ease of use.

So, in my opinion, the answer to the question “Is SQL Server superior to MySQL or not” is: it depends. It depends on the kind of application, environment and budget we have to work with.

Do you plan on upgrading to Microsoft SQL Server 2008?  Well, this has certainly been a hot topic for our readers. We’ve had an overwhelming response to an editorial and commentary on this subject. In fact, we’ve devoted an entire page in the October issue to give you an idea of where our readers stand. But, like every opinion, there is always another opinion that has merit and is worth considering. In response to “Too Soon for SQL Server 2008”, one of our regular forum posters and SQL Magazine reader, Kalman Toth, sent us his opinion on why he’s taking a serious look at SQL Server 2008. Kalman has been a regular contributor on our forums since 2005. His article follows:

ASP.NET is a stable and mature platform for building rich and powerful Web applications, so it's hard to imagine a new set of compelling features being added to it. But last fall, with the release of Service Pack 1 for ASP.NET 3.5, Microsoft refined the platform's built-in AJAX support and enhanced its productivity by shipping Dynamic Data controls, a new framework of components specifically designed to address the needs of data-driven and data-entry applications.

In parallel, Microsoft developed a brand-new, alternative programming model called ASP.NET MVC. Unlike the classic Web Forms model, ASP.NET MVC helps developers create Web applications in accordance with a widely recognized design pattern: the Model View Controller.
Today, the overall ASP.NET platform is made up of a few distinct components: Web Forms, ASP.NET MVC, Dynamic Data controls and ASP.NET AJAX. The upcoming ASP.NET 4.0 platform has the same foundation as the latest 3.5 SP1 version, but it provides further refinement in the areas of Web Forms, Dynamic Data controls and, last but not least, ASP.NET AJAX.

In this article, I'll take a look at what's new and improved in the Web Forms model. In future columns, I'll address the Dynamic Data control platform as a whole and explore in-depth the developments in the ASP.NET AJAX environment.