VarBinary vs Image SQL Server Data Type to Store Binary Data ?

Question

Hi,

I need to store binary files to the SQL Server Database. What's the better Data Type between Varbinary and Image to ?

Answer 1

Use varbinary as image is deprecated.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188362.aspx

Answer 2

varbinary(max) is the way to go (introduced in SQL server 2005)

Answer 3

There is also the rather spiffy FileStream, introduced in SQL Server 2008.