SQL Server 2008 Express – Download it!

Till now Microsoft enabled you to download SQL Server 2008 for a trial version of 180 days. You could get it from MSDN for the Developers and Architects of you and from TechNet for IT Professionals and IT Managers (you get the same download on both sites, only with differently focused follow – up emails, according to your role).

Yesterday however, Microsoft also released SQL Server 2008 Express. Yes, I grant you, it does not have full functionality in it like SQL Server 2008, but I personally would be very happy to play around with what’s already inside and not think about 180 days till the expiration of the trial software. It has PowerShell Integration and supports new Date & Time data types, but at the same time, it still doesn’t yet include, amongst other things, the enhanced Gauges & Charting which were added to Reporting Services 2008 or the ability to export your reports to Word. For those, we’ll have to wait a bit longer till SQL Server 2008 Express with Advanced Services comes out, around the end of August.

So if you’re ready to start playing – go to download SQL Server 2008 Express.