SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2: Introducing end-to-end mobile BI
The SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview (CTP) 3.2 is now available for download! In SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2, part of our new rapid preview model, we made enhancements to several features which you can try in your development and test environments. Additionally, a number of Mobile BI additions and enhancements will be available in CTP 3.2 and by the end of December.
In SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2, available for download today, you will see enhancements in several areas, including:
SQL Server Reporting Services – End-to-end mobile BI on any device
The SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2 release marks a significant milestone for SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) as we continue to deliver on our Microsoft BI reporting roadmap and the promise to enable users to get business insights, anyway, anywhere and from any device.
In this preview release, we are adding support for mobile reports to SQL Server Reporting Services for on-premises implementations. This means that Reporting Services will be able to support two report types, paginated reports, which are the existing Reporting Services reports and mobile reports, which are based on Datazen technology that was acquired in April of 2015.
Mobile reports are optimized for mobile devices and form factors and provide an optimal experience for users accessing BI reports on mobile devices. With SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2, you can author and manage mobile reports for easy consumption by users across your organization online and on mobile devices.
Author interactive mobile reports
Microsoft SQL Server Mobile Report Publisher is the single point for creation of mobile reports. You can simply connect to SQL Server Reporting Services to access data sources and easily create stunning reports, then publish them to SQL Server Reporting Services for access by others in the organization via a unified web experience or on mobile devices.
Microsoft SQL Server Mobile Report Publisher preview is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center.
Consume mobile reports using a unified Mobile BI experience
Whether you are using SQL Server Reporting Services on-premises, Power BI in the cloud, or both as your report delivery solution you will only need one mobile app (for each of Windows, iOS and Android) to access dashboards and mobile reports on mobile devices.
Starting with the Power BI app for iOS all of your BI content will be available at your fingertips from within one single, unified mobile app. The Power BI app for iOS that includes a preview of the SSRS mobile reporting capabilities is available from the App Store.
New Web portal experience
The addition of the mobile report type in SQL Server Reporting Services is accompanied with an entirely new web portal experience allowing users to access KPIs, paginated and mobile reports in one centralized location.
Ready to learn more about these exciting new capabilities and explore the opportunities and scenarios it can enable for you and your organization? Download the CTP 3.2 release today and check out this SSRS blog post to find out how your organization can get business insights, any way, anywhere and from any device.
Additional enhancements
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) features improvements to the XEvents wizard to allow the use of templates when connected to an Azure v12 server, user interface improvements to AlwaysEncrypted wizards and dialogs, an improvement to the Results pane to enable switching to the results tab after query execution, and updates to the Showplan comparison feature to enable comparison of the current execution plan with one saved in a file. Please visit the SSMS blog post to learn more.
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) updates allow scripting in SSMS, creation of calculated tables, and DirectQuery for models with the 1200 compatibility level. Please visit the SSAS team blog post to learn more.
SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) now includes enhancements for the new connection experience for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Database which was introduced in the CTP 3.1, as well as programmability support for SQL Server 2016 CTP3.2 features and enhancements in SQL Server Analysis Services. Please visit the SSDT team blog post to learn more.
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) enhancements include HDFS-to-HDFS copy support, as well as Hadoop connectivity improvements, including ARVO file format support and Kerberos authentication support.
Download SQL Server 2016 CTP 3.2 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 SQL Server 2016, 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 and start evaluating the impact these new innovations can have for your business.
Have questions? Join the discussion on the new SQL Server 2016 capabilities at MSDN and StackOverflow. If you run into an issue or would like to make a suggestion, you can let us know through Connect. We look forward to hearing from you!
For additional information about CTP 3.2, see What’s New in SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server 2016 Release Notes.
