Content type: Updates

Published 
2 min read

Preview the newest ODBC SQL Server Driver for Windows and Linux 

We are pleased to announce the community technology preview of Microsoft ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server on Windows and Linux, supporting Ubuntu, RedHat and SUSE distributions! The updated driver provides robust data access to Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Azure SQL Database via ODBC on Windows and Linux platforms.
Published 
2 min read

Planning an efficient upgrade from SQL Server 2005: Step 3 of 3 

Step 3: Identify your upgrade strategy As the end-of-support deadline for SQL Server 2005 draws near (April 12, 2016), you are probably starting to think about your upgrade strategy. Upgrading SQL Server is a multistage effort that takes time. Planning your SQL Server upgrade early will help you save money and prevent unnecessary business interruptions.
Published 
3 min read

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.
Published 
4 min read

Tuning Workload Performance with Query Store 

As your database grows, it is not unusual to experience performance problems caused by queries that once performed well, but now perform poorly. Without the ability to see all the changes in the query execution over time, it is difficult to figure out why regressions happen and what you can do to prevent them. Troubleshooting these performance issues can take hours or even days.
Published 
8 min read

Enhanced Always On Availability Groups in SQL Server 2016 

Always On Availability Groups Always On Availability Groups are a fundamental component of the availability story for SQL Server, and provide a robust disaster recovery solution as well. Availability Groups were first introduced in SQL Server 2012, replacing the prior Database Mirroring technologies.
Published 
2 min read

Planning an efficient upgrade from SQL Server 2005: Step 1 of 3 

Step 1: Discover what’s in your database environment Upgrading a database can seem daunting. Fortunately, Microsoft offers exceptional tools and support to help you smoothly upgrade from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2014 and Microsoft Azure SQL Database before the end-of-support deadline on April 12, 2016.
Published 
2 min read

Introducing: SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview 3.1 

The SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview (CTP) 3.1 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 3.1, part of our new rapid preview model, we made enhancements to several features.
Published 
1 min read

SQL Server 2012 SP3 is now available! 

Microsoft is pleased to announce the release of SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 3. The Service Pack is available for download on the Microsoft Download Center, MSDN, MBS/Partner Source and VLSC. As part of our continued commitment to software excellence for our customers, this upgrade is available to all customers with existing SQL Server 2012 deployments.