Getting WordPress to run great on Windows and SQL has been an important effort with contributions from a number of different groups across Microsoft and is essential due to the staggering number of WordPress sites.  With the success of the Web Platform Installer and Web App Gallery running WordPress on Windows and MySQL is a breeze.  With the work done leading up to PDC09 running WordPress on SQL Server and SQL Azure is now possible too.

Earlier last month OmniTI released a patch for WordPress which provides SQL Server and SQL Azure support.  In conjunction with the release of the patch, also launched http://wordpress.visitmix.com which contains information about running WordPress on the Microsoft platform with a particular focus on SQL Server and SQL Azure. This site is part of the MIX Online family of web properties with the aim of having “friendly and open dialogue” with non-traditional Microsoft audiences.

Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Automattic and “spiritual leader” of the WordPress community, highlighted the SQL Server patch during his keynote at WordCamp San Francisco which is their premier annual conference.

Stay tuned for PDO support

There is also a PDO version of the WordPress on SQL Patch in the works which OmniTI will be releasing a preview of later this month. Getting PDO (PHP Data Objects ) support within this patch is important because based on conversations with some influentials within the WordPress community, this level of database abstraction is of value to the community and will help with getting this patch accepted into WordPress 3.x.