sql2008（SQL Server 2008 Enhance Your Database Management Efficiency）

SQL Server 2008: Enhance Your Database Management Efficiency

Introduction

SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) designed and developed by Microsoft. It has been widely used in enterprise-level data management for years since its release in 1989. SQL Server 2008 is a major release of the SQL Server series, and it introduces many new features to improve database management efficiency. In this article, we will cover some of the key features of SQL Server 2008 and how they can benefit users in managing their databases.

Improved Performance with Resource Governor

Resource Governor is a new feature introduced in SQL Server 2008 to improve database performance by managing the allocation of system resources. It enables administrators to allocate CPU and memory resources to different applications and users. By setting limits on the CPU and memory usage, the Resource Governor ensures that no application or user receives more resources than they require. Thus, the database performance is optimized, which leads to better response times, higher throughput, and reduced contention for system resources. Another feature that contributes to improved performance is the addition of the Compression feature. Data compression enables administrators to compress data and reduce the amount of storage needed. This feature reduces the time required to back up or restore data by compressing the data and reducing the amount of disk I/O required, which improves performance.

Enhanced Data Security with Transparent Data Encryption

Security has always been a critical concern for any database. SQL Server 2008 introduces a new security feature known as Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) that provides enhanced security for data stored in databases. It uses encryption at the file level to protect the entire database - including data, log files, and backups - and encrypts the data before it is written to disk. TDE encrypts the data and protects it from any unauthorized access. It also enables seamless access to both encrypted and unencrypted data by authorized users or applications. SQL Server 2008 also introduces new tools and features for auditing and compliance. Audit is a feature that provides detailed information about the activities performed on the database. It can help administrators to keep track of any unauthorized access, tampering, or any changes made to the database. The Compliance feature is designed to help administrators comply with regulatory requirements, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, and PCI.

Enhanced Availability with Database Mirroring

Database Mirroring is a high-availability feature introduced in SQL Server 2008 that provides a reliable way to ensure that databases are always available. It allows administrators to create a redundant copy of the database on a separate server, known as the mirror server. The mirror server keeps an identical copy of the database and is fully synchronized with the principal server. If the principal server fails, the mirror server can take over, and users can continue to use the database with minimal downtime. Another availability feature introduced in SQL Server 2008 is the Backup Compression feature. It enables administrators to compress the backup data and reduce the backup time significantly. This feature also saves storage space by compressing the data before it is backed up.

Conclusion

SQL Server 2008 is a powerful RDBMS that introduces several new features and enhancements designed to improve database management efficiency, enhance security, and increase availability. The Resource Governor feature provides improved performance by managing system resource allocation, while Transparent Data Encryption provides enhanced data security. The Database Mirroring feature ensures that databases are always available, even in the event of system failure. These features, along with others we have discussed, make SQL Server 2008 a powerful database management tool for enterprise-level data management.