Difference Between MS SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2

MS SQL Server 2008 vs 2008 R2

SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 are used to implement data management and business intelligent projects. SQL Server has two integrated environment for server administration and business objects creation. User experienced in Containers and Visual elements established in SQL 2005, can work in SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 also. Both versions provide projects (SQL server scripts, Analysis server scripts) that are organized into solutions. SQL server has two “studios” to do development tasks and management tasks. User can develop and manage SQL server database engine and notification solutions in Management studio. By using analysis services, dimensions and mining structures in business intelligence development studio user can develop business intelligence solutions

SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 aims to make the data management self organizing, self maintaining and self-tuning. This version supports the use of structured and semi structured data, including digital media formats (pictures, video, audio, etc…). SQL Server 2008 can be a data storage backend for different varieties of data: XML, email, time/calendar, file, document, spatial, etc as well as perform search, query, analysis, sharing, and synchronization across all data types. Basically SQL server 2008 has the following features:

• Database Engine
• Analysis Services – Multidimensional Data
• Analysis Services – Data Mining Integration Services
• Replication
• Reporting Services and
• SQL Server Service Broker

SQL Server 2008 R2

SQL Server 2008 R2 (formerly code named as SQL Server “Kilimanjaro”) contains certain added features to SQL Server 2008,

• PowerPivot for SharePoint,
• PowerPivot for Excel,
• Multi-Server Administration and Data-Tier Application(a Data-tier function in Visual Studio that enables packaging of tiered databases as part of an application, part of AMSM (Application and Multi-Server Management) that is used to manage multiple SQL Servers),

Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2008 R2,

• Scalability and Performance
• High Availability (Always On)
• Virtualization Support
• Replication
• Enterprise Security
• Single Instance RDBMS Management
• Application and Multi-Instance Management
• Management Tools
• Development Tools
• Programmability
• Spatial and Location Services
• Complex Event Processing (StreamInsight)
• Integration Services
• Integration Services-Advanced Adapters
• Integration Services-Advanced Transforms
• Data Warehouse
• Analysis Services
• Analysis Services-Advanced Analytic Functions
• Data Mining
• Reporting
• Business Intelligence Clients
• Master Data Services
• Integration Services,
• Integration Services-Advanced Adapters,
• Integration Services-Advanced Transforms,
• Connecting to the Database Engine Using Extended Protection,
• Master Data Services,
• StreamInsight,
• ReportBuilder 3.0,
• SQL Server Utility named UC (Utility Control Point)

SQL Server 2008 R2 contains all the other features that exist in SQL Server 2008 (Database Engine, Analysis Services – Multidimensional Data, Analysis Services – Data Mining, Integration Services, Replication, Reporting Services and SQL Server Service Broker).

SQL Server 2008 R2 has more visual features than the SQL Server 2008. As well as SQL Server 2008 R2 supports for mainly data analysis, data presenting and deal with databases which is located in several physical locations. It’s not a total new product. Simply, its support for the distributed database management is high.