SQL Server


Next SQL Server CTP Coming Soon

The next preview of SQL Server 2008 supports spatial data types and a new Resource Governor feature is slated to hit in a week or two.

New Google-Microsoft Squabble Seen on Social Networking Front

Google's attempt to take a leading role in social networking has some pundits saying yet another Google vs. Microsoft battle scenario is playing out.

Microsoft Officials Detail Visual Studio 2008 Rollout Plan

In announcing today that it will release to manufacturing Visual Studio 2008 this month, Microsoft is meeting the most optimistic forecasts for when the long anticipated upgrade to its flagship IDE would ship.

ODF Split Shakes Up Document Battle

The ongoing file format battle between proponents of the OpenDocument Format (ODF) and Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) took a surprising turn lthis week, when a key ODF proponent announced that it intended to abandon the ISO-approved specification.

IT Should Embrace ITSM Methods, Report Suggests

The management of services by IT departments is the subject of an August 2007 report by the Aberdeen Group. The report focuses on companies that use IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)-based approaches, which is a set of best practices for IT. The report specifically hones in on an ITIL discipline called IT Service Management (ITSM).

OSS Gains Ground in Survey of IT Pros

Open source software (OSS) is not so much the underdog in the IT world, according survey findings announced by Barracuda Networks, a provider of e-mail and Web security appliances.

SAP To Acquire Business Objects

Marking perhaps the most significant BI acquisitions to date, SAP plans to buy Business Objects, the largest supplier of BI software, for $6.7 billion.

Microsoft Takes Step Toward Opening .NET 3.5 Framework

In a surprise move, Microsoft said today it is releasing the reference source code for the .NET Framework libraries, a key step toward opening up the proprietary development platform.

MIT Forms Kerberos Consortium

MIT last week launched the Kerberos Consortium, according to a report from the university's News Office.

Access Cloud Data With Astoria

Microsoft wants to help you build cloud data services with its Astoria code-named technology, a free download now in beta.

Major Day of Windows Releases From Microsoft

Microsoft released several major updates for its Windows lineup today, including the first release candidate (RC) for Windows Server 2008 and the initial public beta for Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1.

Oracle Churns Out Another Strong Quarter

Melding a hodgepodge of different software makers into a cohesive business is supposed to be difficult.

SQL Server 2008 CTP Slips, But Key Features Promised

Although Microsoft had hoped to release a CTP of its newest database server every 60 days, the latest test release will slip, company officials acknowledged this week.

IBM Goes After Office With Free Desktop Suite

The no-cost alternatives for Microsoft Office just keep growing: IBM announced yesterday that it is now offering Lotus Symphony, a free suite of "enterprise-grade" software featuring word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications for Windows and Linux.

UPDATED: Microsoft Ships PerformancePoint Server 2007

Microsoft Corp. today officially unveiled PerformancePoint Server 2007, its highly anticipated performance management (PM) software.