SQL Server 2008 R2 Launch Tour Kick-Off on April 21st

Microsoft is gearing up to launch the next iteration of its data platform. The Redmond company has already announced that the general availability deadline is planned by May 2010, and it looks like it’s living up to the promise. Starting on April 21st, 2010, Microsoft is planning to kick off the SQL Server 2008 R2 Launch Tour. As a part of the debut of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Community Tour, a special full-day Microsoft R2 Launch Event has been planned for the PASS European Conference 2010 in Neuss, Germany, on April 21st. According to Microsoft, PASS is the place to be for SQL Server customers that are interested in the evolution of the company’s data platform.

“As the world’s largest user-run SQL Server community, we are thrilled to host the official R2 launch kick-off at our popular European Conference,” PASS President Rushabh Mehta noted. “Our attendees will be learning directly from the greatest SQL Server and BI minds in the industry.”

Formerly codenamed SQL Server “Kilimanjaro,” SQL Server 2008 R2 is the successor of the plain vanilla SQL Server 2008. At PASS on April 21st, Donald Farmer, from the SQL Server Business Intelligence team, and Steffen Krause, Microsoft SQL Server evangelist, will introduce the data platform to PASS attendants. According to the software giant, their presentation will be focused on new Business Intelligence capabilities, as well as scalability and IT/Developer efficiency.

“The growing reputation of PASS worldwide and in Europe, coupled with its active and vocal community, has made the PASS European Conference a natural fit for the official start of the R2 launch event,” Eva Hegemer, Microsoft Germany, added. “We strongly encourage SQL Server users to attend both the R2 launch seminar and the two days of sessions at the conference to profit from extensive technical education and networking opportunities.”