Introducing: SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview 2.4
The SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview (CTP) 2.4 is now available for download! This release fully embraced the “Cloud First” tenet, as this release build was deployed to SQL Azure Database service first, running in production prior to the release build.
In SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4, part of our new rapid preview model, we made enhancements to several features. You can try them now in your SQL Server 2016 development and test environments.
As part of our new rapid release model, you don’t have to wait several months for responses to feedback or to test new capabilities. This means you can accelerate testing and time to production. The frequent updates are also engineered to be of the same quality as major CTPs, so you don’t have to be concerned about build quality. You also have the flexibility to choose which CTPs you will deploy for development and test environments and won’t be forced to upgrade to the most recent preview release.
In SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4, available for download today, you will see enhancements in several areas:
- Operational Analytics and In-Memory Data Warehouse improvements
- x86 server deprecation
- SQL Server Smart Maintenance Plans for effective database maintenance
- Tempdb scalability improvement
- SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) improvements, including design-time control over layout of report parameters, export to PowerPoint, and a new printing feature that works across modern browsers
CTP 2.4 also contains multiple improvements to SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).
For additional details, please visit the detailed SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4 Engineering blog and SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4 Management Studio blog.
Download SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4 preview today!
As the foundation of our end-to-end data platform, SQL Server 2016 is the biggest leap forward in Microsoft’s data platform history with real-time operational analytics, rich visualizations on mobile devices, built-in advanced analytics, new advanced security technology, and both on-premises and in the cloud.
To learn more about the release, visit the SQL Server 2016 preview page. To experience the new, exciting features in SQL Server 2016 and the new rapid release model, download the preview or try the preview by using a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure and start evaluating the impact these new innovations can have for your business. Have questions? Join the discussion of the new SQL Server 2016 capabilities at MSDN and Stack Overflow. If you run into an issue or would like to make a suggestion, you can let us know at Connect. We look forward to hearing from you!
