SQL 2005 Standard Edition on Cluster

SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition will support two-node MSCS,
but Windows 2003 Server Standard won't:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc758523.aspx

Idera SQL Safe Backup Script

DECLARE @counter INT
DECLARE @maxCount INT
DECLARE @result INT
DECLARE @failed INT
DECLARE @dbname NVARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @backupSetName NVARCHAR(256)
DECLARE @backupSetDescription NVARCHAR(512)

SET @counter = 1
SET @maxCount = 1
SET @result = 0
SET @failed = 0

-- Create the temporary database table
IF object_id('tempdb..#databases') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #databases

CREATE TABLE #databases
(
id INT IDENTITY,
databaseName NVARCHAR(128),
backupSetName NVARCHAR(256),
backupSetDescription NVARCHAR(512)
)

-- Insert the databases to be backed up
INSERT INTO #databases VALUES ('User_DB1', 'Full backup for policy Backup_USER_DB_Full(Noencriptions)', '')
INSERT INTO #databases VALUES ('User_DB2', 'Full backup for policy Backup_USER_DB_Full(Noencriptions)', '')
SELECT @maxCount = MAX(id) FROM #databases

-- Loop through and backup each database
WHILE @counter <= @maxCount
BEGIN

SELECT @dbname = [databaseName], @backupSetName = [backupSetName], @backupSetDescription = [backupSetDescription] FROM #databases WHERE id = @counter


EXEC @result = [master].[dbo].[xp_ss_backup] @database = @dbname,@filename = 'D:\SQLData\MSSQL\BACKUP\IderaSQLBackups\USER_DB_BACKUPS\FULL\%instance%_%database%_%timestamp%.safe',@delete = '1days',@backupname = @backupSetName,@desc = @backupSetDescription,@verify = 1,@compressionlevel = 'ispeed',@threads = 3
IF (@result != 0) SET @failed = 1

SET @counter = @counter + 1

END

-- If one or more failures occurred, signal an error
IF (@failed != 0) RAISERROR('One or more backups failed to complete.', 16, 1)

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 released

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now available at the following URL :
You can use these packages to upgrade any SQL Server 2008 edition.

SQL Server 2008 SP1 is primarily a roll-up of previous cumulative updates, quick fix engineering updates and minor fixes made in response to requests reported through the SQL Server community. While there are no new features in this service pack, customers running SQL Server 2008 should download and install SP1 to take advantage of the fixes which increase supportability and stability of SQL Server 2008.

With this service pack, Microsoft has made investments to ease deployment and make management of service packs more efficient. Key improvements in SP1 include Slipstream, Service Pack Uninstall and Report Builder 2.0 click-once deployment.
• Slipstream allows administrators to install SQL Server 2008 and Service Pack 1 in a single instance. This decreases the total time for an installation, including a fewer number of reboots thereby increasing productivity and deployment availability.
• Service Pack Uninstall allows administrators to uninstall the service pack separately from the database release. This feature also improves DBA productivity, reduces the cost of deployment and improves overall supportability
• Report Builder 2.0 Click Once improves the existing SQL Server end-user report authoring application by easing deployment to business users

For more information about SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1, please review the Release Notes :