Hello Dev, in this article, we will explore the various versions of Microsoft SQL Server. Microsoft SQL Server is a popular relational database management system used by many organizations. It has evolved over the years, with each version bringing new features and improvements. Let’s dive in and explore these versions in more detail.
Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 was released in 2000 and was the first version of the software to use Windows 2000 as its primary operating system. This version brought several new features such as support for XML and HTTP, improved indexing, and integration with Microsoft Visual Studio. It also introduced the concept of Reporting Services, which allowed users to create and distribute reports.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 introduced Full-Text Search, which allowed users to index and search for text data in a database. This feature was especially important for companies dealing with large amounts of unstructured data such as documents and emails.
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 was also the first version to support database mirroring, which provided a high level of availability for mission-critical databases.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 was a significant improvement over its predecessor, Microsoft SQL Server 7.0, and set the stage for future versions.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2000 still supported? |
No, Microsoft ended extended support for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 in 2013. |
Can I upgrade directly from Microsoft SQL Server 2000 to the latest version? |
No, you will need to upgrade to an intermediate version before upgrading to the latest version. |
What is Full-Text Search? |
Full-Text Search is a feature that allows users to search for text data in a database. It is especially useful for companies dealing with large amounts of unstructured data such as documents and emails. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 was released in 2005 and was a major release for the software. This version introduced several new features, including support for common table expressions, pivot tables, and partitioning. It also introduced database snapshots, which allowed users to create point-in-time copies of a database for analysis or backup purposes.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 included several performance improvements, such as query plan caching and better indexing. It also included enhanced security features such as the ability to encrypt data and manage user permissions more granularly.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 was a significant improvement over its predecessor and helped solidify Microsoft SQL Server’s position as a leading database management system.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2005 still supported? |
No, Microsoft ended extended support for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 in 2016. |
What are common table expressions? |
Common table expressions are a feature that allows users to define temporary result sets within a SQL statement. They are useful for simplifying complex queries. |
What is database partitioning? |
Database partitioning is a feature that allows a large database to be divided into smaller, more manageable sections. This can improve performance and simplify administration. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 was released in 2008 and brought several new features and improvements. This version introduced support for spatial data, which allowed users to store and query geographic data. It also included policy-based management, which allowed administrators to define and enforce policies for database settings and permissions.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 included several performance improvements, such as better indexing and query optimization. It also introduced the concept of backup compression, which allowed users to compress backups and save disk space.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 was a solid release that built upon the strengths of its predecessor and continued to improve the software.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 still supported? |
No, Microsoft ended extended support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 in 2019. |
What is spatial data? |
Spatial data is geographic data such as maps and satellite images. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 introduced support for storing and querying spatial data within a database. |
What is policy-based management? |
Policy-based management is a feature that allows administrators to define and enforce policies for database settings and permissions. This helps ensure consistency and compliance. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 was released in 2010 and was a minor update to Microsoft SQL Server 2008. This version brought several new features, such as support for multi-server management and Master Data Services, which allowed users to manage and maintain a master set of data.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 included several performance improvements, such as enhanced query optimization and indexing. It also introduced PowerPivot, which allowed users to analyze large amounts of data in Excel.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 was a solid release that provided several new features and improvements.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 still supported? |
No, Microsoft ended extended support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 in 2019. |
What is Master Data Services? |
Master Data Services is a feature that allows users to manage and maintain a master set of data. This helps ensure accuracy and consistency across an organization’s data. |
What is PowerPivot? |
PowerPivot is a feature that allows users to analyze large amounts of data in Excel. It is especially useful for organizations dealing with large amounts of data. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 was released in 2012 and was a major release for the software. This version brought several new features and improvements, including support for AlwaysOn Availability Groups, which provided a high level of availability for mission-critical databases. It also introduced columnstore indexes, which improved the performance of data warehouses.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 included several enhancements to Business Intelligence features, such as Power View, which allowed users to create interactive reports and dashboards.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 was a significant improvement over its predecessor and helped solidify Microsoft SQL Server’s position as a leading database management system.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2012 still supported? |
No, mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 ended in 2017, and extended support will end in 2022. |
What are AlwaysOn Availability Groups? |
AlwaysOn Availability Groups are a feature that provides a high level of availability for mission-critical databases. It allows for automatic failover and multiple replicas of a database. |
What are columnstore indexes? |
Columnstore indexes are an indexing method that improves the performance of data warehouses. They allow for faster queries and less data to be read from disk. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2014
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 was released in 2014 and brought several new features and improvements. This version introduced support for in-memory OLTP, which allowed users to improve the performance of transactional databases. It also included enhanced disaster recovery features, such as Azure Backup and Azure Virtual Machines.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2014 included several enhancements to Business Intelligence features, such as Power Query, which allowed users to extract and transform data from various sources.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2014 was a solid release that provided several new features and improvements.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2014 still supported? |
No, mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2014 ended in 2019, and extended support will end in 2024. |
What is in-memory OLTP? |
In-memory OLTP is a feature that allows users to improve the performance of transactional databases. It allows for faster processing of transactions and reduces disk I/O. |
What is Azure Backup? |
Azure Backup is a disaster recovery feature that allows users to back up data to the cloud. It can be used to restore data in the event of data loss or a disaster. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Microsoft SQL Server 2016 was released in 2016 and was a major release for the software. This version brought several new features and improvements, including support for JSON and PolyBase, which provided enhanced integration with Hadoop and other big data sources. It also included enhancements to AlwaysOn Availability Groups and in-memory OLTP.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2016 included several enhancements to Business Intelligence features, such as Mobile Reports and native support for R language.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2016 was a significant improvement over its predecessor and provided several new features and improvements.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2016 still supported? |
Yes, mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2016 ended in 2021, and extended support will end in 2026. |
What is PolyBase? |
PolyBase is a feature that provides enhanced integration with Hadoop and other big data sources. It allows users to query and join data from both SQL Server and other data sources. |
What is R language? |
R language is a programming language used for statistical computing and graphics. Microsoft SQL Server 2016 added native support for R language. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2017
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 was released in 2017 and brought several new features and improvements. This version introduced support for graph data, which allowed users to store and query graph data such as social networks and recommendation engines. It also included support for Python language and automatic database tuning.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 included several enhancements to security features, such as Always Encrypted with secure enclaves.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 was a solid release that provided several new features and improvements.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2017 still supported? |
Yes, mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2017 ended in 2022, and extended support will end in 2027. |
What is graph data? |
Graph data is data that represents relationships between entities such as social networks and recommendation engines. Microsoft SQL Server 2017 introduced support for storing and querying graph data. |
What is Always Encrypted with secure enclaves? |
Always Encrypted with secure enclaves is a security feature that allows users to protect sensitive data while still allowing the data to be processed in the database. It uses secure enclaves to ensure that the data remains encrypted even while being processed. |
Microsoft SQL Server 2019
Microsoft SQL Server 2019 was released in 2019 and was a major release for the software. This version brought several new features and improvements, including support for big data clusters, which provided enhanced integration with big data systems such as Hadoop and Spark. It also included enhancements to graph data and added support for UTF-8 encoding.
In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2019 included several enhancements to security features, such as data classification and vulnerability assessment.
Overall, Microsoft SQL Server 2019 was a significant improvement over its predecessor and provided several new features and improvements.
FAQ
Question |
Answer |
|---|---|
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2019 still supported? |
Yes, mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2019 will end in 2024, and extended support will end in 2029. |
What are big data clusters? |
Big data clusters are a feature that provides enhanced integration with big data systems such as Hadoop and Spark. They allow users to store and analyze large amounts of data. |
What is data classification? |
Data classification is a security feature that allows users to classify and label data based on sensitivity. This helps ensure that sensitive data is handled appropriately. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, Microsoft SQL Server has evolved significantly over the years, with each version bringing new features and improvements. From Microsoft SQL Server 2000 to Microsoft SQL Server 2019, the software has been a leading database management system used by many organizations. We hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of the various versions of Microsoft SQL Server.