Microsoft today announced that the latest version of the
world's most widely deployed data platform, Microsoft SQL
Server 2012, has released to manufacturing.
The company today also disclosed additional details
regarding its plans to release an Apache Hadoop-based
service for Windows Azure.
"Data is being generated faster than ever
before, and organizations need a way to process and
analyze all that data," said Ted Kummert, corporate vice
president at Microsoft. "Whatever the type or size of
data, SQL Server 2012 delivers the platform and familiar
tools to manage data, generate actionable insights and
help drive business impact."
Furthering its commitment to connect SQL Server and rich
business intelligence tools, such as Microsoft Excel,
PowerPivot for Excel 2010 and Power View, with
unstructured data, Microsoft announced plans to release
an additional limited preview of an Apache Hadoop-based
service for Windows Azure in the first half of 2012.
To help its customers more cost-effectively manage their
enterprise-scale workloads, Microsoft will release
several new data warehousing solutions in conjunction
with the general availability of SQL Server 2012, slated
to begin April 1. This includes a major software update
and new half-rack form factors for Microsoft Parallel
Data Warehouse appliances, as well as availability of SQL
Server Fast Track Data Warehouse reference architectures
for SQL Server 2012.