SQL Server 2008: The New Data Types

Following are the new data types which are added in SQL SERVER 2008 :

• Date and Time: Four new date and time data types have been added.

ü  DATE

ü  TIME

ü  DATETIME2

ü  DATETIMEOFFSET

• Spatial: Two new spatial data types have been added

ü  GEOMETRY

ü  GEOGRAPH

These are use to natively store and manipulate location-based information, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

• HIERARCHYID: The HIERARCHYID data type is used to enable database applications to model hierarchical tree structures, such as the organization chart of a business.

• FILESTREAM: FILESTREAM is not a data type as such, but is a variation of the VARBINARY (MAX) data type that allows unstructured data to be stored in the file system instead of inside the SQL Server database.

I will explain each in detail with example in next series of postings.