Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 reduces the configuration and tuning required to implement and run database applications. A major goal of SQL Server 7.0 is to minimize the need for database expertise. This is accomplished by new features, including but not limited to, on-demand memory, on-demand disk, and dynamic tuning of configuration parameters. Many users can now implement a database application successfully without knowledge about the internal architecture of the database system. (A small percentage of high-end applications always require more detailed knowledge.)
The table describes the changes and new features included in the Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 storage engine.
| New features | Description |
|---|---|
| Performance improvements | Performance for both OLTP and decision support is improved by implementing new features and improving existing systems. New features include:
· Fibers (lightweight threads scheduled within a single operating-system thread). · Larger I/O sizes. · Spinlock contention reduction. · Faster searches. · Parallel data access. · Faster utilities. |
| Complete row-level locking | The benefits of dynamic locking (choosing the right level of lock: row, key range, page, multiple pages, or table on the fly) are extended to all database operations: updates, deletes, and reads. |
| Scalable storage, including VLDB support |
The on-disk format and the storage subsystem can provide storage that is scalable from the very small database (fits on a floppy) to very large databases (VLDB). Specific changes include:
· The ability to grow the database automatically within limits. The database administrator can set a maximum, but no longer has to preallocate space and manage extents. · Simplified mapping of database objects to files. On the small scale, this means a database, including metadata, can be in a single file, allowing a simple copy of the database. For large databases, database objects can be mapped to specific disks to load balance I/O. · More efficient space management including increasing page size from 2 KB to 8 KB, 64-KB I/O, rows that span pages, lifting of the column limit, variable length character fields up to 8 KB, and the ability to add and delete columns from existing tables without unloading or reloading the data. · Redesigned utilities to support terabyte-size databases efficiently. |
| Improved text and image support | SQL Server has complete content text query capability with new full-text search engine additions, which include full-text indexing. |