With the release of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Beta 2, the world of database development is changing.

As a database developer, you have the option to place your code appropriately in relation to its functionality, to support data in native formats such as XML, and to build complex systems that are managed by the power of the database server. Database development is more integrated than ever, and all the tools you need are at your fingertips.

This article discusses some features of SQL Server 2005 that will enable you to build a new kind of database application.