There are spatial data features for MS Sql Server 2005?

Question

I wonder if there is any optimization I can do to achieve faster SELECTs for spatial data without moving to SQL SERVER 2008. There is for SQL Server 2005, natively or through plugins, any of the features below?

1. Spatial field types
2. Spatial indexes
3. Arcsin math function for surface distance calculation on a sphere (Earth)

Answer 1

Just 3 is there in 2005 (ASIN). Spatial stuff are new in 2008.

Answer 2

There are some GIS features available through http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=MsSqlSpatial but as far as I know SQL 2008 is the way to go

Answer 3

Not as such. SQL Server has no native spatial indexing facilities. Various people have done projects that emulate a spatial index on top of the native indexing facilities, but these are not as efficient as a native R-tree or other spatial index. For native support for this you really need SQL Server 2008 or another DBMS such as PostGresSQL that directly supports spatial indexing.

However, one of the solutions that the other posters have linked to may give you a performance improvement.