| UPDATE 2008-12-03
The download packages for the database engine have returned to the download page. Make sure you download the file labeled "SQL_Server_2008_Cumulative_Update_2" to apply to machines where the SQL Server engine is present, and the file "SQL_Server_2008_RTM_CU2_SNAC" to apply to any machines that don't have a SQL Server instance but do connect to any SQL Server 2008 instance. I have asked for better descriptions on the download page to differentiate between the files, because I am sure a lot of people using SQL Server 2008 don't know the difference. Also, be sure to download the file for the correct platform! x64 if you are running 64-bit SQL Server on 64-bit Windows; x86 if you are running 32-bit SQL Server (regardless of whether the underlying OS is x86 or x64); and IA64 if you are on Itanium.
I have not yet downloaded the file and verified that the bits weren't swapped out quietly, though I have been assured internally that this is not what has happened... |
I am sure this is kind of "Chicken Little" and might only be valid for a short time, but I thought I should mention it anyway, since I am already seeing people download the native client patch and scratch their heads, wondering why it won't patch the engine. Sometime after Denis reported the availability of Cumulative Update Package 2 for SQL Server 2008 (Nov. 19th), and even after that because I downloaded it well after PASS, it has disappeared from the download page. At this moment, all that is available is the SNAC client for x86, x64 and IA64:
The files above will only patch the native client / drivers on the machine, so while it is worth the download (especially for client machines that do not host a SQL Server 2008 instance), it will not patch any engine components.
My fear, of course, is that we are re-entering familiar territory; after SP2 for SQL Server 2005 was released, one of the packages was rebuilt and redeployed, with the same build number, causing a lot of confusion. I complained about that in March of 2007 and I wasn't the only one.
Now I am on the lookout for it, and hope it is returned without incident:
Hopefully, it was not pulled intentionally, but rather inadvertently excluded from the download page temporarily. When I have more information about this, I'll post here; if you see the downloads restored in the meantime, please let me know!