Microsoft has recently released the Community Technology Preview (CTP) June 2007 for Microsoft SQL Server code name Katmai, Developer Edition.
Microsoft has renamed the SQL Server Katmai as SQL Server 2008.
You can register to http://connect.microsoft.com and download the June CTP of the Katmai Developer Version of the next version of SQL Server.
My download is named as SQL Server Katmai Developer Edition X86, English and it has a total size of 877.34 MB in one file named SQLDEVX86.EXE. The build number is 10.00.1019.17
If you plan to install the SQL Server 2008 on a server on which also SQL Server 2000 is installed, I have a bad news since both versions are not compatible with each other.
SQL Server 2008 June 2007 CTP installation immediately fails after you run the setup.exe and displays the following message:
Microsoft SQL Server code name Katmai Setup
Microsoft has detected one or more instances of SQL Server 2000 on the computer where you are installing SQL Server Katmai. SQL Server Katmai installation is not supported side-by-side with SQL Server 2000. You must either install SQL Server Katmai on a different computer or uninstall SQL Server 2000 before installing SQL Server Katmai.
I have to install my first SQL Server 2008 installation on another computer or on a virtual pc :)