The next version of Microsoft SQL Server is SQL Server 2014. The code name of the project is “Hekaton”. This was announced at the Microsoft’s TecEd meeting held this year (2013). Now we are getting lot of information on the new features which will make SQL Server 2014, far better than the current version SQL Server 2012. So, what can we expect from Microsoft SQL Server 2014? Below are the highlights of the advanced capabilities of the new version of SQL Server.
New and Advanced Features of Microsoft SQL Server 2014:
- In-Memory OLTP is built in to the core database. So, the SQL Server now will be able to hold the tables in memory and do transactions. As you can think the transactions will be very fast compared to the current process. Amazingly, there is no need to upgrade your server hardware to get this feature. Further more there is no need to re-wright the application code for using this future. Microsoft will be providing tool which will help to specify the tables which can be loaded into memory for faster transaction processing. Read more…
- In-Memory Stored Procedures: The new version of SQL Server will have the capability of compiling the stored procedure to machine code and load them in-memory for execution. Read more…
- In-Memory ColumnStore will help the Data Warehousing workload to fetch and analyze the data faster. This feature is also called as xVelocity ColumnStore.
- SSDs as Extended Memory: This version of SQL Server will have the capability of extending the Solid State Drives as added memory. This buffer pool support for solid state drives reduces the disk I/O and enhances the in-memory processing. Read more…
- Enhanced Query Processing: The SQL queries will run faster than before.
- Enhanced Availability with the help of up to 8 secondary replicas.
- Enhanced availability even during online indexing operations.
- Better scale-ability: On a physical server SQL Server 2014 can support up to 640 processors and 4 TB of memory. On a virtual machine, it can support up to 64 virtual processors and 1 TB of virtual memory.
- Network Virtualization helps to migrate SQL Server from one network to another with ease.
- Storage Virtualization helps to segregate multiple pools of storage for hot data and cold data.
- Better Resource Governance by adding I/O and memory to the current resources to govern.
- Better security control over Role and Sub Roles.
- Hybrid Cloud capabilities like backup to azure storage, AlwayaOn integration with windows Azure, SSMS wizard for windows azure and SSMS migration wizard for Windows Azure.
SQL Server 2014 CTP1 is now available for everyone to download and explore the new features.
Reference: SQL Server 2014 CTP1.