The "application and multi-server management" feature will also enable DBAs to set policies and deploy applications to their entire "SQL Server Fabric," rather than one at a time, .

The feature will arrive with the upcoming Kilimanjaro release of SQL Server 2008. Due in 2010, Kilimanjaro will be the to hundreds of servers -- hence the need for the management feature.

Kilimanjaro, which some are calling SQL Server 10.5, will be aimed at large-scale data warehouses with tens or hundreds of terabytes of data. It will allow Microsoft to compete with the likes of , as well as and

The management dashboard was demonstrated during a keynote speech by Microsoft's corporate vice-president for the data and storage platform division, Ted Kummert, that officially kicked off the Professional Association for SQL Server's annual conference.

The conference goes through Friday in Seattle. Due to interest from the and Microsoft's announced plans to , attendance is up at this year's PASS show, to a reported 2,500 attendees from about 1,500 last year.