[..] I think SQLXML is a first step in a revolution in database data interchange. I like to compare it to the success of XML itself. XML is nothing but a scheme for encoding structured data in a text file. It has thoroughly replaced the Comma-Separated-Values (CSV) format because it can capture heirarchical data structures. Well, the rowset is today the primary format (so to speak) for transferring structured data from a database to a client. By replacing the rowset with an XML stream, we can enjoy the same benefits as with the transition away from CSV to XML. We can now transfer heirarchical (master-detail) data in its natural, normalized state. There are also performance advantages associated with doing so, not the least of which is increased network efficiency and fewer round-trips.[..] SQLXML Here to Stay. Eron Wright [PDC Bloggers]
