Sql-server – Design SQL Server 2008 new install … which collation

collationsql-server-2008

A customer has a SQL Server 2005 instance, collation SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS, with 8 databases … for a new application, we have been asked to install a SQL Server 2008 with collation SQL_Latin1_General_BIN.

In order to maintain a single database server, and then also by addressing the previous db migration to the new version, which instance collation should be adopted?

Thanks a lot

Bye,
Francesco

Best Answer

The default collation is based on the Windows system locale of your server. SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS is usually the default collation for computers based in the North American locale. Collation can be changed if you have a reason for it, like: sorting order, case sensitivity, accent sensitivity, non-English characters, width.

Collation for a DB can be set at the time of the creation of the DB, so you can have a server that has DBs with different collations. The Alter database command can be used to change the collation of all newly created objects in the DB. I have used the default SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS all the time and have not had any issues, but then I do more DB administration that development.

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