Microsoft releases SQL Server 2008

Five months after its official launch, SQL Server 2008 released to manufacturing today.

Microsoft made the announcement this afternoon during a conference call with Ted Kummert, corporate vice president of the data and storage platform division. He touted SQL Server 2008’s out-of-the-box data management and business intelligence capabilities. VARs and customers will also be happy to know that this latest version does not come with a price increase.

The release marks the end of a long waiting game. Microsoft had planned to release the three-headed monster of Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008 by the Feb. 28 “Heroes Happen Here” launch event in Los Angeles. But SQL Server wasn’t ready, and Microsoft said it wouldn’t be until sometime in the third quarter.

Then, at last month’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston, corporate vice president Bob Kelly said SQL Server would be on Microsoft’s August price list. But that didn’t necessarily mean it would be available in August, so partners were again left wondering when they’d be able to sell it.

Now they know. And knowing is half the battle.