| Sl | SQL Server 2000 | SQL Server 2005 | SQL Server 2008 |
| 1 | Query Analyser and Enterprise manager are separate. | Both are combined as SSMS(Sql Server management Studio). | Both are combined as SSMS(Sql Server management Studio). |
| 2 | No XML datatype is used. | XML datatype is introduced. | XML datatype is used. |
| 3 | We can create maximum of 65,535 databases. | We can create 2(pow(20))-1 databases. | We can create 2(pow(20))-1 databases. |
| 4 | Nill | Exception Handling | Exception Handling |
| 5 | Nill | Varchar(Max) data type | Varchar(Max) data type |
| 6 | Nill | DDL Triggers | DDL Triggers |
| 7 | Nill | DataBase Mirroring | DataBase Mirroring |
| 8 | Nill | RowNumber function for paging | RowNumber function for paging |
| 9 | Nill | Table fragmentation | Table fragmentation |
| 10 | Nill | Full Text Search | Full Text Search |
| 11 | Nill | Bulk Copy Update | Bulk Copy Update |
| 12 | Nill | Cant encrypt | Can encrypt the entire database introduced in 2008. |
| 13 | Cant compress the tables and indexes. | Can Compress tables and indexes.(Introduced in 2005 SP2) | Can compress tables and indexes. |
| 14 | Datetime datatype is used for both date and time. | Datetime is used for both date and time. | Date and time are seperately used for date and time datatype,geospatial and timestamp with internal timezone is used. |
| 15 | No varchar(max) or varbinary(max) is available. | Varchar(max) and varbinary(max) is used. | Varchar(max) and varbinary(max) is used. |
| 16 | No table datatype is included. | No table datatype is included. | Table datatype introduced. |
| 17 | No SSIS is included. | SSIS is started using. | SSIS avails in this version. |
| 18 | CMS is not available. | CMS is not available. | Central Management Server(CMS) is Introduced. |
| 19 | PBM is not available. | PBM is not available. | Policy based management(PBM) server is Introduced. |