 Scale and Performance - Get real-world performance and scalability
Use the SQL Server 2008 high performance query processing engine for industry leading performance and scalability. Resource Governor enables administrators to define resource limits and priorities for different workloads, and take control of database server performance while extensive query analysis and optimization tools enable optimal database structures and indexes design.
- Store and manage all of your data
Use partitioned tables to manage large sets of data efficiently while the native support for XML and FILESTREAM data types allow organizations to store non-relational data.
High Availability - Achieve always-on operations
Choose the high availability option that is right for your data; log shipping, database mirroring, or server clustering. Take advantage of enhancements to database mirroring to reduce latency across low bandwidth connections, recover suspect pages directly from a mirror server, and achieve transparent redirection from any client in the event of failover.
- Distribute data throughout the enterprise by using replication
Use replication to provide local copies of data throughout the enterprise. Reduce the time taken to implement and manage a peer-to-peer replication solution by using the new visual designer to enable applications to read or modify data in any of the databases that are participating in replication.
Security - Secure business data
Authenticate database users and enforce password policies. Encrypt data in an entire database without the need for application code changes. Use third party cryptographic providers and Hardware Security Modules to simplify and consolidate encryption and key management across applications.
- Audit all actions
Take advantage of comprehensive data auditing to monitor all events at the server and database levels, and scale-out auditing across the enterprise. Consolidate enterprise-wide auditing records from multiple sources.
Manageability - Reduce management overhead
Use the consistent management interface provided in SQL Server Management Studio to manage all SQL Server instances and services. Schedule automated administrative tasks and respond proactively to events to reduce the burden on database administrators.
- Enforce configuration policy compliance
Use the Declarative Management Framework to define configuration policies and apply them across the enterprise. Enforce policies proactively, after changes are made, on a schedule, or explicitly by performing ad hoc checks in real time.
- Centralize and consolidate monitoring
Use Performance Studio to troubleshoot, tune, and monitor the state of one or more instances of SQL Server 2008. Collect information from multiple sources, store the performance data centrally, and display all relevant troubleshooting information in one place using Reporting Services.
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Resource Governor
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Support for relational data, XML, filestreams, and spatial data
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Data compression and sparse columns
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Automatic recovery of suspect pages
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Visual designer, and add nodes to a peer-to-peer replication configuration without stopping system activity
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Enhanced audit reporting
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Automatic, transparent data encryption
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Use Performance Studio to troubleshoot, tune, and monitor
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