Microsoft made available to select testers on June 5 the near-final Release Candidate (RC) 0 of SQL Server 2008.

As of Friday, Microsoft had released the latest test build of its database to TechNet Plus and Microsoft Developer Network(MSDN) subscribers only. The new build wasn’t on the private Connect test site. (Not sure if availability has changed since then.)

Microsoft officially “launched” SQL Server 2008 in February, alongside Visual Studio 2008 and Windows Server 2008. Earlier this year, Microsoft officials said they were planning to deliver SQL Server 2008 by mid-2008. Company officials last week reiterated Microsoft’s more recent guidance: The company is planning to deliver the final build of SQL Server 2008 in the third calendar quarter of 2008.

All of the versions of SQL Server 2008 — Developer, Enterprise, Standard, Web and Workgroup — are part of the latest RC 0 download.

Source: Mary-Jo Foley

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)

The full Windows XP install with SP3 integrated (also referred to as the Slipstream build) is now available for TechNet Plus subscribers to download.  The following languages are currently available: Chinese-Simplified, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese-Brazil, and Spanish.  Additional languages will be added as they become available so watch on TechNet Plus Downloads for new languages.

Download now at: http://technet.microsoft.com/subscriptions/downloads/default.aspx

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)