Application Development

Productive

Build next generation data-centric applications with the ADO.NET Entity Framework
Define a rich conceptual object model based on the Entity Data Model (EDM) and logically organize database tables and columns into higher-level entities. Model database applications quickly by using the ADO.NET Entity Framework to create entities that are tightly aligned with business requirements.

Revolutionize data access queries with LINQ
Use consistent query syntax to retrieve data from multiple diverse data stores, including entities, relational databases, XML, ADO.NET Data Sets, and in-memory objects. Take advantage of the efficient data processing capabilities of LINQ, as well as design time error checking and type validation.

Harness data programmability technologies with Visual Studio
Bring all of the Microsoft data programmability technologies together in a highly productive and easy to use manner with Microsoft Visual Studio. Microsoft IntelliSense and built-in support for the ADO.NET Entity Framework and LINQ.

Comprehensive

Take advantage of a full range of data connectivity technologies
Access data anywhere through data connectivity technologies that include ODBC drivers, OLE DB data providers, ADO.NET data providers, ADO.NET Entity Framework, LINQ, non-Microsoft technologies including XML, JDBC, and PHP drivers.

Any data, anywhere, anytime
Build data-centric applications that access data anywhere anytime by using a wide range of managed and native programming languages, data connectivity technologies, and programming frameworks.
Scalable

Increase reach and scalability through occasionally connected systems
Support online and offline data storage capabilities by using SQL Server Compact edition combined with Microsoft Synchronization Services. Increase the reach and scalability of your data services solutions by distributing data access workloads across client devices as well as database servers.

Store any kind of data in SQL Server 2008
Centralize and optimize data storage for applications by using the SQL Server 2008 support for a diverse range of data types, including relational data, XML documents, File streams, and spatial data.

Build highly scalable applications with SQL Server 2008
Use the Microsoft .NET Framework and managed programming languages such as C# and Visual Basic .NET to develop high-performance procedures that access and manage data in the database through the SQL Server Common Language Runtime (CLR) integration.