Today is the day that SQL Server 2016 will officially launch. I’ve been using SQL 2016 since some of the early CTP builds last year and I love the direction that Microsoft is headed with their entire data platform. I’m not just saying that because I’m a fanboi, either. I mean I *am* a fanboi, but that is not the point here.
There are many blogs already available on new features available in SQL Server 2016. I thought about doing similar posts myself but today I thought instead of listening to me go on about how SQL Server 2016 is full of unicorns and rainbows I would show you what other people are saying about this release.
Let’s start with the Product Support Services (PSS) team at Microsoft.
SQL Server 2016 has a ton of new features as well as upgrades to existing features. The PSS team has put together a series of blog posts on the new features and capabilities in SQL Server 2016. You can find a summary page here. I wanted to list out today the current set of links for everyone to see:
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: DBCC Scales 7x Better
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: DBCC Extended Checks
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Native Spatial Implementation(s)
- SQL Server Parallel Query Placement Decision Logic
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: TVPs with Spatial Column(s)
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Spatial Index Builds Faster
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: -T1117 and -T1118 changes for TEMPDB and user databases
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Automatic TEMPDB Configuration
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: LDF Stamped
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Instant File Initialization
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Automatic Soft NUMA
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Updated Scheduling Algorithms
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Dynamic Memory Object (CMemThread) Partitioning
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: SOS_RWLock Redesign
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Indirect Checkpoint Default
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Larger Data File Writes
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Multiple Log Writer Workers
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Column Store Uses Vector Instructions (SSE/AVX)
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster – BULK INSERT Uses Vector Instructions (SSE/AVX)
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: AlwaysOn Log Transport Reduced Context Switches
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: AlwaysOn Parallel Compression / Improved Algorithms
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster – AlwaysOn AES-NI Encryption
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: In-Memory Optimized Database Worker Pool
- SQL 2016 – Leverages On Demand MSDTC Startup
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: XEvent Linq Reader
- SQL 2016 – It Just Runs Faster: Always On Availability Groups Turbocharged
- Non-Volatile Memory SQL Server Tail Of Log Caching on NVDIMM
- How It Works (It Just Runs Faster): Auto Soft NUMA
That’s not even the full list of new features, either. But I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that I’ve just provided a bunch of links from an internal team at Microsoft so of course they would say wonderful things about SQL Server 2016. https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bobsql/2016/11/08/how-it-works-it-just-runs-faster-non-volatile-memory-sql-server-tail-of-log-caching-on-nvdimm/
Okay then, how about this slide I was shown during the SQL Server 2016 reviewer’s workshop a few weeks back showing some performance benchmarks:
Not bad, huh? But I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that’s just a marketing slide showing testing results with third party Microsoft partners so of course they would say wonderful things about SQL Server 2016.
Okay then, how about this image showing a handful of Gartner reports:
Not bad, huh? If you still don’t believe that SQL Server 2016 is full of unicorns and rainbows then I would encourage you to try it for yourself. You can be up and running with an Azure VM in less than 15 minutes. Don’t want to try Azure? Okay then, why not download to developer edition of SQL Server for free. That’s right, it’s free. It costs you NOTHING to test drive SQL Server these days.
Last year during my keynote speech at the PASS Summit in Seattle I stated that Microsoft was “the makers of the best data platform, bar none, on the planet.”
I meant it then, and I mean it now.
Performance benchmark testing backs up that statement. Gartner agrees as well. I am certain that if you gave it a try, you would understand why.
11 thoughts on “SQL Server 2016: It Just Runs Faster”