All product should be documented. Particularly when any release happens product must have release notes because release notes educates people about product and its usage. Release Notes for SQL Server 2008 RC0 are now out.
Microsoft has also release notes for SQL Server 2008. This Release Notes document contains information for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Release Candidate 0 (RC0) that supplements the SQL Server 2008 RC0 Readme and Books Online documentation.
Download Release Notes
Abstract courtesy : Microsoft
Why I Read Release Notes for SQL Server 2008 Builds First
Release notes are the part of any download most people skip, and I understand why. They look like fine print. But they are where the product team lists known issues, setup problems and workarounds that did not make it into the main documentation. For a release candidate, that list is even more important, because the product is close to final but not finished.
When I read release notes, I look for a few things:
- Setup requirements and known install problems, especially anything about upgrading from an earlier version.
- Features that behave differently from the documentation, or that are not ready in this build.
- Known issues with a workaround, so I do not spend a day chasing a problem that is already documented.
- Anything about uninstalling or moving to the next build, since a release candidate is not the final product.
The same habit applies to service packs and cumulative updates today. Each one comes with a support article that lists the fixes and any known issues. I read it before I patch a server, keep a short list of the issues that apply to my servers, and check the build with SELECT @@VERSION afterwards to confirm the update is really in place. That short list also tells the team what to watch in the days after the install.
SQL Server 2008 has been out of support for years, so this RC0 document is history now, and the old download may not be available. If you run a current version, look for the release notes and the update articles for that version on Microsoft’s documentation site. Five minutes of reading can save hours of troubleshooting.
Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.
