‘Laguna’ SQL Server for CE Release on Tap

Microsoft Corp. will use its Mobile DevCon later this month to talk up its next release of its SQL Server CE platform, Version 3.0, code-named Laguna.

Like Yukon—the next version of the full-fledged SQL Server release—Laguna is unlikely to debut before mid-2005. Microsoft officials acknowledged earlier this week that Yukon won’t ship by the end of 2004, as they had hoped, and will now be out in the first half of 2005.

Sources say that Microsoft hopes to deliver a first beta of Laguna in conjunction with “Yukon” SQL Server Beta 2, which is expected by mid-2004. The Redmond, Wash., software maker plans to release Laguna to manufacturing right alongside Yukon.

Microsoft released the current version of its mobile database platform, SQL Server CE 2.0 (which it also calls
SQL Server 2000 Windows CE Edition), in 2002. The platform is aimed at developers who want to write mobile applications that will run on smaller form-factor devices, like Smartphones and PocketPCs.

Laguna is expected to run on PocketPC 2002, 2003 and Phone Edition platforms. It will be optimized for the Windows CE .Net “Macallan” release (the successor to CE 4.2). Macallan is slated to be released to manufacturing this summer and to be available from Microsoft embedded partners in the early fall of 2004.

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