Development Matters Blog

When trying to install SQL Server 2008 64-bit on the Microsoft Server 2008 64-bit, I met the following issue: One of the prerequisites to installing SQL Server 2008 was .Net Framework 3.5SP1.

After trying to run installation of .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 64-bit the following massage appears: “You must use role management tool to install or configure Microsoft .net framework 3.5”

Since I was not familiar what the role management tool meant, I did research and resolve this issue in the below described way:

1. Open Server Manager (Start -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager
2. Under “Server Manager” click “Features”

3. In the right hand pane, click “Add Features”
4. Expand the “.Net Framework 3.5 Features” and select the all features
5. Click “Add Required Role Services”
6. Click Next
7. Click Install

I had a chance to work with a 3rd-Party tool that dumps data into SQL Server.  An issue came up because it only works with SQL Server 2008. In order to support a customer case, I had to have that data in SQL Server 2005 (it doesn’t happen often to take you too much time to migrate data from a newer version of SQL Server to the older one).

Luckily, SQL Server 2008 has a great feature. The feature is Generating Scripts. It makes it possibile for users to generate script for creation of any scope of database objects very easily.

The feature is accessed by right clicking the database then choosing “Tasks >> Generate Scripts”. The wizard is very intuitive and enables the creation of script compatible even with SQL Server 2000 – which generates the whole database, with all tables, data in tables, indexes, triggers, stored procedures, collations, and anything else that comes to mind.

In my case, I was not able to do this through Access, Excel or any other way. Without this feature I, the case would be stuck.

With new versions of any software comes the new features. That brings us some benefits when we work only with new software version but it might bring us some headaches if we have to maintain compatibility with older versions. Anyhow, we have to utilize the advantages of new versions where ever we can so the first step toward that goal is to learn what the new features are and what they offer.

One of the new function’s regarding DATETIME in SQL Server 2008 are four new data types introduced. They are DATE, TIME, DATETIMEOFFSET and DATETIME2.

The great article which describes what those data types offer and what are the changes in standard function libraries is:

http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/dev/datetime_2008_p1.aspx

It provides very detailed explanation for most of the new functionalities that those new data types bring. I highly recommend it.