SQL Server Express, ie, a public Yukon preview

Well not a full one, but there's alot of talk the past few days about the new beta of SQL Express (formerly called MSDE.) SQL Server Express has alot of the Yukon features built in, including full support of the .NET CLR.

For those unfamiliar, MSDE (now called SQL Express) is a free, watered down version of SQL Server that many, many applications install with their product and use as a data store. Except for the built in restrictions of memory and CPU usage, it is pretty full featured, and can be managed from and SQL Server admin tool.

Want to know just how many applications install MSDE? Download these Microsoft Security Tools (designed to spot SQL Server installations vulnerable to the Slammer worm, and patch them) and run sqlscan.exe on your network. Odds are you'll find many more MSDE installations on desktops (many unpatched) than actual SQL Servers in your company.