Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system developed by Microsoft. As a database, it is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network (including the Internet). There are at least a dozen different editions of Microsoft SQL Server aimed at different audiences and for different workloads (ranging from small applications that store and retrieve data on the same computer, to millions of users and computers that access huge amounts of data from the Internet at the same time).

SQL Server 2008 R2 introduces several breakthrough capabilities that make it the ideal data platform for Software-plus-Services. This section provides content that will give you a high-level overview of these improvements.

Visual Studio 2010 introduces a new database project type known as a Data-tier application (DACPAC) that greatly simplifies the development, deployment and maintenance of database applications. DBA's can deploy DACPAC's to SQL Server 2008 R2 in a single step without having to waste time analyzing cryptic Transact-SQL scripts. SQL Server 2008 R2 will even handle automatic upgrades to a new version of a DACPAC.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 StreamInsight is a platform for developing Complex Event Processing (CEP) applications with the .NET Framework. Complex Event Processing applications provide a range of data processing capabilities that are appropriate for workloads that need to process very high volumes of event stream data with very low latency.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services introduces several exciting new features for report development, like the Map Wizard to create map reports in the Report Designer of SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio, the usage of lookup functions in report expressions, and the ability to create ATOM data feeds from reports.

PowerPivot is a new in-memory analytics engine that makes it easy for information workers to create their own powerful analytic models in Excel 2010 from multiple data sources without having to know how to build a cube. Information workers can then share their PowerPivot models with other users by publishing them to PowerPivot for SharePoint 2010.

PerformancePoint Services is an integrated capability of SharePoint 2010 that makes it easy to build rich, interactive scorecards and dashboards from data in SQL Server 2008 R2 Analysis Services.