Wither CTP5?

There’s been some rumors going ’round about the immenent release of SQL Server 2008 CTP5. OK, maybe I’ve been asking around too. The main reason for the rumors is that there was a published CTP timetable at one point and its getting to be about that time. The other reason is the plethora of sessions, both here in Barcelona at TechEd/Developers and TechEd/ITForum and at DevConnections in Las Vegas (where some of my SQLskills collegues are this week) about features that won’t appear until CTP5. Looking at the calendar of talks I can easily spot talks on Spatial Data and Filestream storage, two of the most compelling features in the next release, due in CTP5. I’ll even be doing a spot of my own on Spatial data next week at TechEd/ITForum.


There have also been a number of postings by Microsoft employees about the upcoming CTP5 features, some of them including code. If you’re at TechEd, don’t miss Johannes Kebeck’s talk on Virtual Earth, which may have some tidbits on usage of the SQL Server 2008 spatial data types. He’s been working with the spatial data types since they were just a gleam in the SQL Server team’s eye. Unfortunately, I’ll miss it, because I’ve got a talk at the same time. Maybe Johannes can fill me in. And Michael Rys’ talk on spatial data in SQL Server 2008.


But back to CTP5…the answer so far is just “soon, wait and see”. But do attend the sessions and I believe you’ll agree its something worth waiting for.

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