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Microsoft Details SharePoint-SQL 2008 Integration

Document outlines what admins must do

• By Kurt Mackie
• 08/20/2008

Microsoft clearly wants SharePoint users to upgrade to SQL Server 2008, which was released to manufacturing on August 6. Yesterday, the company's SharePoint hosting and development blog pointed out that IT admins don't have to wait for the documentation to do so.

IT administrators typically look for Microsoft's "supportability statement" document before performing system upgrades. The document for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 is currently available, and it includes information about upgrading to SQL Server 2008 that was published on July 31.

The document describes MOSS 2007 hardware and software dependencies, along with precautions on upgrading from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008. For instance, you need to have the latest SharePoint service packs in place before installing SQL Server 2008.

"Office SharePoint Server 2007 supports SQL Server 2008," the document says. "However, you must install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1 or later and Office SharePoint Server 2007 SP1 or later before you install SQL Server 2008."

IT admins have to download and run the setup program, as well as "the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard," to perform the MOSS 2007 SP1 install.

The SharePoint Hosting and Development blog provides some upgrade tips and suggests that the "upgrade from [SQL Server] 2005 to 2008 is a pretty simple process." IT admins will have to install ".NET 3.5 SP1 and hotfix KB942288-v4" first in order to move to SQL Server 2008.

Microsoft's blog provides a list of features describing why IT admins should upgrade, but most of the benefits seem to apply just to improvements in SQL Server 2008. One potential benefit is data compression, which can be automated by default. Compression can reduce your backup size, although SharePoint stores data in the binary large object (blob) form, which doesn't compress as well as other data types.

"That said, you can probably see up to 30% [size reduction] on your blob-laden content databases and perhaps 90-95% on your other databases," the blog estimates.

Other improvements include a Resource Governor for SQL Server maintenance and administration, although the blog cautions that it "should not be used to control SharePoint's usage of SQL."

Those interested in Microsoft's supportability statement for MOSS 2007 -- which goes by the descriptive title, "Determine hardware and software requirements (Office SharePoint Server)" -- can access it on Microsoft TechNet here.