Microsoft recently released the latest version of its SQL Server platform: SQL Server 2008. Like its predecessors, the new release is a bundle of components that work together to deliver a seamless and integrated BI platform.

The 2008 version includes numerous performance enhancements that will enable the new version to address even larger data volumes at higher performance levels than before. In addition to performance enhancements come new functionality and ease-of-use enhancements that will appeal to new and existing SQL users.

For new deployments, SQL 2008’s new features and higher performance levels probably means there’s no reason to deploy older versions. For existing SQL 2000 and SQL 2005 customers, migration effort will depend on the specifics of each deployment, but the overall improvements will likely prove to make the migration worthwhile.