SQL Server 2005 doesn't have everything Catassi is looking for. Some promised capabilities, most prominently database mirroring for automatic backups of information, aren't due to be available until next year. Meanwhile, his personal wish list still includes features such as the ability to load and compare multiple performance monitoring logs from different systems.

Craig Steele, a senior network engineer at Progent Corp., an IT consulting firm in San Jose, said the most tangible improvements in SQL Server 2005 likely will benefit developers more than database administrators. For example, he pointed to the integration of the database with Visual Studio 2005, which is also being launched next week.

"Developers will be happy with the new SQL Server, but if you're an IT professional, whoop-dee-doo-dah-day," said Steele, who consults with corporate users on projects involving SQL Server and Microsoft's Exchange Server. Steele said he doesn't view the new release as a huge shift in technology from its SQL Server 2000 predecessor. "I know pure SQL [Server] people will love it," he said. "I'm just not sure about the rest of the world."

Raichura said the support for Microsoft's Common Language Runtime technology via Visual Studio will let him avoid having to go to multiple developers with different specialties. "I can natively write stored procedures straight into software," he said. "This increases my resource pool because it reduces the distinction between software developers and architects."

Kirk Pothos, a software development manager in Xerox Corp.'s printer service division, called Visual Studio 2005 "a huge step forward" for Microsoft. He added that his team has already upgraded to the new versions of both SQL Server and Visual Studio.