I've heard that SQLServer 2005 has introduce 2GB of data to its varchar,nvarchar datatypes. That was cool. But when I tried the foll. code Declare @var varchar(max) set @var=replicate('A',16000) Print len(@var) It gave me 8000. I'as preety flammoxed. then i cam accross the fact that these datatypes increase with a fixed size of 8000. so i tried the foll. Declare @var varchar(max) set @var=replicate('A',8000) set @var =@var + replicate('A',8000) Print len(@var) this gave me 16000...