Microsoft News Tracker

Today, Microsoft released Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2005 that a trifle belatedly brings it up to date with Vista:

Microsoft Corp. today released Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 SP2, an update to its award-winning data management and analysis platform. Customers can now take advantage of enhancements in the familiar and easy-to-use Windows Vista™ operating system and 2007 Microsoft Office system to easily connect and integrate with the power, security and reliability of SQL Server 2005. In addition, Microsoft announced that it is expanding virtualization use rights to allow unlimited virtual instances on servers that are fully licensed for SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition.
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Customers can download SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 immediately from http://www.microsoft.com/sql/sp2.mspx.

Follow the link or hit the “What’s New” page for details on the functional enhancements, some of which add Office 2007 compatibility, but the big one from my perspective is the arrival of a free Vista compatible desktop version of SQL Server Express for all the ISVs (including Microsoft) who have been depending on the now unsupported SQL Server 2000 MSDE as an embedded desktop database for their applications. Vendors will still have to modify and test their applications however.

Also in the press release was the note that Microsoft has been keeping up on their SQL Server Common Criteria security certifications which are a requirement for various government customers.