What is row versioning in SQL Server 2005?

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What is row versioning in SQL Server 2005?

Answer
Row versioning keeps a copy of each row for use by applications or transactions to prevent readers from being blocked by writers.
Explanation
Row versioning is a method whereby the database engine keeps a copy of a row's data as it existed before the start of a transaction for queries to read this data and reduce locking contention if they are configured.

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