Out with the Old (SQL 7.0) and in with the New (SQL 2008 SP2)

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We are fast approaching the end of support for SQL Server 7.0. It has been in "extended support" for a while, meaning you could call for help but no non-security hotfixes would be created. But after January 11, 2011 extended support for SQL Server 7.0 ends and you will no longer be able to contact Microsoft for help with SQL Server 7.0. See more details here: https://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlreleaseservices/archive/2010/09/29/end-of-support-for-sql-server-7-0.aspx

But everything is not ending! Indeed we have a new service pack for SQL Server 2008! SQL Server 2008 SP2 is now available for download! SP2 includes all hotfixes from SP1 CU1 to CU8. You can also get the updated feature pack.

• SQL Server 2008 SP2: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=196550

• SQL Server 2008 SP2 Express: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=196551

• SQL Server 2008 SP2 Feature Packs: : https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=202815

Key improvements in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 are:

  • Reporting Services in SharePoint Integrated Mode. SQL Server 2008 SP2 provides updates for Reporting Services integration with SharePoint products. SQL Server 2008 SP2 report servers can integrate with SharePoint 2010 products. SQL Server 2008 SP2 also provides a new add-in to support the integration of SQL Server 2008 R2 report servers with SharePoint 2007 products. This now enables SharePoint Server 2007 to be used with SQL Server 2008 R2 Report Server. For more information see the “What’s New in SharePoint Integration and SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)” section in What's New (Reporting Services).
  • SQL Server 2008 R2 Application and Multi-Server Management Compatibility with SQL Server 2008.
    • SQL Server 2008 Instance Management. With SP2 applied, an instance of the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine can be enrolled with a SQL Server 2008 R2 Utility Control Point as a managed instance of SQL Server. SQL Server 2008 SP2 enables organizations to extend the value of the Utility Control Point to instances of SQL Server 2008 SP2 without having to upgrade those servers to SQL Server 2008 R2. For more information, see Overview of SQL Server Utility in SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online.

o Data-tier Application (DAC) Support. Instances of the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine support all DAC operations delivered in SQL Server 2008 R2 after SP2 has been applied. You can deploy, upgrade, register, extract, and delete DACs. SP2 does not upgrade the SQL Server 2008 client tools to support DACs. You must use the SQL Server 2008 R2 client tools, such as SQL Server Management Studio, to perform DAC operations. A data-tier application is an entity that contains all of the database objects and instance objects used by an application. A DAC provides a single unit for authoring, deploying, and managing the data-tier objects. For more information, see Designing and Implementing Data-tier Applications.