Wrapping up Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - looking at the new features

As we work on wrapping up the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 release (formerly known as 'Yukon'), I am taking some time to play with some of the newer features, looking for those last, hard to find, bugs that maybe still hiding out.  As I come across topics of interest, particularly those I can't find referenced anywhere else on the web, I will post working samples here. 

I work in the 'SQL Engine' group where I manage teams responsible for the quality of the Security & Metadata features, the new SQL CLR integration, and the Execution Engine (Cursors, Trace, Events, Notifications, Performance Montior etc.).  During this release I also led teams in the Engine that worked on the XML integration (the new XML Datatype and XML Query) and the Engine Protocol stack, particularly the Native HTTP SOAP stack.  It is these areas I find most interesting. 

If you have any questions about any areas of the Database Engine in SQL Server, fire them my way and I will do my best to get them answered.