14 DAY TRIAL // Just as it is the case for all major Microsoft products, the company is already planning the next version of its data platform, even though SQL Server 2008 R2 is yet to be finalized, let alone made generally available. Since SQL Server 2008 R2 is not yet wrapped up, details on its successor are rather scarce, to say the least. Still, one aspect of the evolution of Microsoft’s data platform has already been confirmed, namely its codename.
According to Dan Jones, lead program manager, SQL Server, SQL Server vNext is codenamed “Denali.” In this regard, codename Denali will be the successor of Kilimanjaro, which was the codename Microsoft used for the first part of SQL Server 2008 R2’s development process. The software giant announced in May 2009 that SQL Server Kilimanjaro would be officially labeled SQL Server 2008 R2.
“Sticking with the mountain theme, the next major release of SQL Server is codenamed Denali. Here are a few interesting facts about Denali, the mountain: located in Alaska; official name is Mount McKinley (per the U.S. Board on Geographic Names); the highest mountain peak in North America @ 20,320 ft or 6,194 m above sea level; Denali means “the great one;” temperatures as low as −75.5 °F (−60 °C) and windchills as low as −118.1 °F (−83 °C) have been recorded by an automated weather station located at 18,700 feet (5,700 m).”
Microsoft is currently in the final stages of building SQL Server 2008 R2. The successor of SQL Server 2008 is planned for availability by May 2010, in approximately two months, the company has already confirmed officially.
In this regard, Codename Denali could end up as SQL Server 2011. There is, of course, no confirmation of this, other than a document provided by Chris Green, a Microsoft developer focused on Systems Integration, Windows/UNIX and .Net/Java interoperability and High Performance Computing. In the “Estimated Product Support Life Cycles” resource, Green indicates that SQL Server 2011 is planned for availability on July 1st, 2011.
“The SQL Server team has been very busy building SQL Server 2008 R2 and we are extremely excited for the upcoming launch. The feedback from customers who have downloaded and tested a Community Technology Preview (CTP) has been invaluable. We believe that having an open and active dialogue with customers is imperative. If you haven’t already, download and test a CTP for SQL Server 2008 R2. Tell us what you think,” noted a member of the SQL Server team.
SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP is available for download here.