Well here it is the next version of SQL Server is getting out step by step, few months ago CTP3 and now Release Candidation 0 is available for download. The version number will be 11.0.1750.32, make a note of it.

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 RC0 enables a cloud-ready information platform that will help organizations unlock breakthrough insights across the organization.

Quick details

Files in this download

The links in this section correspond to files available for this download. Download the files appropriate for you.

The key features are:

Before you jump into the detailed installation or information, I recommend you to go through SQL Server 2012 RC0 Systems Requirements along with 2012 RC0 Release Notes and 2012 RC0 Readme links. The easy way to install is to either attended or un-attended and some components in this Release Candidate have two different methods to complete the installation process:

• Attended Installation – an interactive user interface will guide you through the set-up process and obtain all of the information and consent required to complete the installation. This includes displaying, acknowledgement, and archiving of the applicable SQL Server license terms.
• Un-attend Installation – this is a command line set-up process that does not have an interactive user interface to guide you through the set-up process. In this case, you will be required to enter a parameter during installation that indicates your acceptance of the license terms.