Binary Datatypes

Use the binary datatypes, binary(n) and varbinary(n), to store raw binary data, such as pictures, in a raw binary notation, up to the maximum column size for your server’s logical page size.

The binary and varbinary datatypes are Transact-SQL extensions.

• Valid binary and varbinary Entries
  Binary data begins with the characters “0x” and can include any combination of digits, and the uppercase and lowercase letters A through F.
• Entries of More than the Maximum Column Size
  Use the image datatype to store larger blocks of binary data (up to 2,147,483,647 bytes) on external data pages.
• Treatment of Trailing Zeros
  All binary not null columns are padded with zeros to the full width of the column. Trailing zeros are truncated in all varbinary data and in binary null columns, since columns that accept null values must be treated as variable-length columns.
• Platform Dependence
  The exact form in which you enter a particular value depends upon the platform you are using. Therefore, calculations involving binary data can produce different results on different machines.