For a new project I am working for the first time with MapInfo 10 “the world’s premier desktop mapping application.”
In an effort to move away from MapInfo’s .tab files (the shapefile equivalent) I was keen to test out the direct connection to geometry stored in SQL Server 2008. Until version 9.5 data could only be stored and accessed in a relational database using SpatialWare. Again to use ESRI terminology this is the ArcSDE equivalent. Fortunately MapInfo was quick off the mark in removing this barrier.
Access to SQL Server 2008 spatial data is provided by integrating FME functionality directly into the product, and having a “Universal Data” option on the File menu. There is also a tool named Easy Loader that allows loading .tab files into SQL Server as geometry.