Kilimanjaro now 2008 R2 and Madison CTP out in July

Kilimanjaro, previously the code name of the next release of SQL Server is now SQL Server 2008 R2.

The list of features is pretty long for an 'R2' - the link above provides the full details, but as a hopelessly biased BI chap, the most interesting one for me is the technology previously known as Gemini. This is MS's answer to the column-orientated 'in-memory' analysis engines of vendors such as QlikTech. The ability to be able to provide users with an ability to analyse millions of rows of data through Excel at 'lightening fast speeds' without needing to create cubes, write MDX etc is an interesting one, to say the least. No confirmed date for this but Mary-Jo Foley reckons it will be July.

For me though the most exciting announcement is that a Madison CTP is also planned for July. The lack of a compelling scalability story has always been a bit of a chink in SQL Server's armour, particularly when compared to vendors such as Teradata and Netezza, and I will be all over this when it comes out.

What both of these announcements show is that SQL Server is forging ahead, addressing weaker product areas and - providing the CTP's ship on time - on schedule.