14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft released the first upgrade to SQL Server 2008 R2, both the paid editions and the Express, free SKU.
SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 is now available for download from Microsoft, but the company is also offering additional resources related to SP1.
It’s the case of SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Feature Pack RTM, which is also live on the Microsoft Download Center, and up for grabs free of charge for customers.
“The Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Feature Pack is a collection of stand-alone packages which provide additional value for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2. It includes the latest versions of: Redistributable components for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 and add-on providers for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1,” the software giant explained.
Customers leveraging Microsoft’s data platform might already be familiar with the Feature Pack. The company has been offering the additional resources even for the RTM version of SQL Server 2008 R2.
Of course, now that SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 is available, the Feature Pack was also upgraded, and the service pack as well as the extra resources can be leveraged in tandem.
“SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 contains cumulative updates for SQL Server 2008 R2 and fixes to issues that have been reported through our customer feedback platforms,” a SQL Server team member said.
“These include supportability enhancements and issues that have been reported through Windows Error Reporting. The following highlight a few key features with enhancements in this [release]:
• Dynamic Management Views for increased supportability
• ForceSeek for improved querying performance
• Data-tier Application Component Framework (DAC Fx) for improved database upgrades
• Disk space control for PowerPivot.”
The Feature Pack brings to the table such components as:
- SQL Server Report Builder 3.0 for SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint Technologies 2010
- SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint Technologies 2007
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Policies
- Sync Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit (SDK)- SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2
- SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2 For Windows Mobile- SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2 Server Tools
- SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2 Books On-line- SQL Server JDBC Driver 3.0
- Microsoft Connector 1.1 for SAP BW for SQL Server 2008 R2
- Microsoft System CLR Types for SQL Server 2008 R2- SQL Server 2008 R2 Remote Blob Store
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Books On-line
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Upgrade Advisor
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client- Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0 SP 1
- Microsoft OLEDB Provider for DB2
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Command Line Utilities
- SQL Server Service Broker External Activator for SQL Server 2008 R2
- Windows PowerShell Extensions for SQL Server 2008 R2
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Shared Management Objects
- SQL Server 2008 R2 ADOMD.NET
- Microsoft Analysis Services OLE DB Provider for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Analysis Management Objects
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Data Mining Add-ins for Office 2007
- Microsoft Datamining Viewer Controls For SQL Server 2008
- Microsoft SQL Server Driver for PHP 2.0
- Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant
SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM is available for download here.
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Express RTM is available for download here.
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Feature Pack RTM is available for download here.