Rich Application Development

Enable reliable, scalable integration with PHP applications deployed on the Windows platform.

Connect to all editions of SQL Server, including Microsoft SQL Azure and Express editions.

Use PHP features, including PHP streams, to read and write large objects.

Provide access to SQL Server 2008 R2 from any Java application, application server, or Java-enabled applet.

Use features introduced in SQL Server 2008, such as date and time data types.

Download the driver at no additional charge and freely distributable with registration.

Remain compliant with Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) 4.0.

Run on Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 5.0 or later.

Overcome hurdles when developing for the disconnected, n-tier programming environment.

Support disconnected, distributed data scenarios with the DataSet object.

Eliminate the impedance mismatch between data models and languages.

Use the same XML classes in Microsoft ADO.NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Easily cross over from ADO.NET data access services and XML counterparts.

Develop by using tools that are built entirely on top of web standards.

Achieve up to 10 percent performance improvements with SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client.

Work more efficiently with tabular data.

Use improved tools for working with table-valued parameters.

Develop cleaner, more maintainable code that performs faster and with improved scalability.

Store unstructured data while maintaining transactional integrity with the FILESTREAM data type.

Use either Transact-SQL or input/output APIs to access data.

Support cloud applications that are highly configurable by the end user.

Take advantage of enhanced support for user-defined types.

Add value with geospatial functions and integrations.

Improve support for hierarchical data structures with the HIERARCHYID data type.

Store NULL values without consuming physical space.