Difference between SQL SERVER 2000,2005,2008 and 2012

SQL SERVER 2000:

1.Query Analyser and Enterprise manager are separate.

2.No XML datatype is used.

3.We can create maximum of 65,535 databases.
4.Cant compress the tables and indexes.
5.Datetime datatype is used for both date and time.
6.No varchar(max) or varbinary(max) is available.
7.No table datatype is included.
8.No SSIS is included.
9.CMS (Cenntral Management Server) is not available.
10.PBM (Policy Based Management) is not available.
11.High Availability Clustering or Log Shipping require Enterprise Edition. Expensive hardware.
SQL SERVER 2005:

1.Both are combined as SSMS(Sql Server management Studio).
2.XML datatype is introduced.
3.We can create 2(pow(20))-1 databases.
4.Exception Handling
5.Varchar(Max) data type
6.DDL Triggers
7.DataBase Mirroring
8.RowNumber function for paging
9.Table fragmentation
10.Full Text Search
11.Bulk Copy Update
12.Cant encrypt the entire database.
13.Can Compress tables and indexes.(Introduced in 2005 SP2)
14.Datetime is used for both date and time.
15.Varchar(max) and varbinary(max) is used.
16.No table datatype is included.
17.SSIS is started using.
18.CMS is not available.
19.PBM is not available.
20. High Availability Clustering, Database Mirroring or Log Shipping available in Standard Edition. Database Mirroring can use cheap hardware. 

SQL SERVER 2008:

1.Both are combined as SSMS(Sql Server management Studio).
2.XML datatype is used.
3.We can create 2(pow(20))-1 databases.
4.Exception Handling
5.Varchar(Max) data type
6.DDL Triggers
7.DataBase Mirroring
8.RowNumber function for paging
9.Table fragmentation
10.Full Text Search
11.Bulk Copy Update
12.TDE (Transparent Data Encryption) to encrypt the entire database introduced in 2008.
13.Can compress tables and indexes.
14.Date and time are separately used for date and time datatype,spatial and timestamps with internal timezone is used.
15.Varchar(max) and varbinary(max) is used.
16.Table datatype introduced.
17.SSIS avails in this version.
18.Central Management Server(CMS) is Introduced.
19.Policy based management(PBM) server is Introduced.
20. Auditing - monitoring of data access.
21. Resource Governor. Restrict users or groups from consuming high levels or resources.
22. Activity monitor: consolidates this information by detailing running and recently executed processes, graphically.
23. Backup compression.

SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server R2• Backup compression is available in R2 standard (was only in Enterprise)
• SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition database size limit increased to 10 GB (from 4GB)
• PowerPivot for SharePoint introduced for loading, querying, and managing PowerPivot workbooks that you publish to a SharePoint 2010 server
• PowerPivot for Excel is used to assemble and create relationships in large amounts of data from different sources, and then use that data as the basis for PivotTables and other data visualization objects that support data analysis in Excel.
• Utility Explorer introduced for centralized management of managed SQL instances.
• Master Data Services introduced to manage master (reference) data and maintain an auditable record of that data as it changes over time.
• Enhanced security to prevent an authentication relay attack.

SQL SERVER 2012:

1.The SQL Server 2012 uses 48 bit precision for spatial
2.In SQL server 2012 has unlimited concurrent connections
3.By default it supports 15,000 partitions
4.Available new string functions CONCATE and FORMAT
5.Available new conversion  functions are PARSE ,TRY_CONVERT,TRY_PARSE
6.Microsoft.SqlServer.Dac and Microsoft.SqlServer.Dac.Extensions are introduced to perform  operations on Packages.

SQL Server 2008R2 to 2012• Inclusion of Visual Studio 2010 (BI edition)
• AlwaysOn technology – allowing automatic replication and switching to mirrored database/server in the event of problems
• In most instances, the performance is 10 times faster than the predecessor (Microsoft claim)
• Buffer rate is high in SQL Server 2012 because of data compression.
• Data visualization tool is available in SQL Server 2012.This allows snapshots of data.
• Support for persistent computed columns and extra geographical approach is possible with spatial features in SQL Server 2012.
• Allows for warm Service Patch patching – meaning SQL or server does not have to be rebooted/restarted to apply patches
• New ‘Contained Databases’ feature allowing easier movement of database instances between servers
• New ‘ColumnStore’ indexes – which turn indexes 90 degrees in use (instead of one index per row, you get multiple column indexes per row which has a major impact on performance)
• New TRY_CONVERT T-SQL command, which will perform data type conversion, but will NULL rather than error where conversion fails.
• New OFFSET/FETCH command which allows automatic capture of pages of rows (like SELECT TOP 90 * from…, but gives a starting row number for the page)
• Redesign of SQL Server management studio – providing new features, better intellisense, new viewing tools and cleaner interface
• Custom user server roles – meaning you can define roles with specific access (such as BI data reader) and assign these custom roles to defined users (therefore faster user maintenance)
• New virtual Windows FileTable commands in T-SQL lets you manage a folder like a table of documents, but still have external control over the contents: UPDATE C:\Docs\*.* SET ReadOnly = 1 WHERE Author = ‘Bob’ AND Created < ’20100101′;)
• NEGATIVE – SQL Server Management Studio will no longer run on XP. Needs Windows Vista, 7 or 8.
• NEGATIVE – SQL Server is no longer licenced on server, but either CALS or Cores in server CPU which could increase costs for large user connection scenarios.
• NEGATIVE – AWE is no longer supported, meaning your SQL Server instance on x86 with 32GB of RAM is only going to be able to use 4GB. Note – SQL now designed to run on 64bit hardware.

During the CCTV / Access Management Software installation the mail Database is on SQL based. So you must know Difference between SQL SERVER 2000,2005,2008 and 2012.