Today Microsoft announced the first public release candidate of their flagship relational database platform, SQL Server 2017 (RC1), which is readily available to download today via this link. This release comes at the end of seven community technology previews (CTPs) and includes what some thought would never occur: support for Microsoft SQL Server on a platform other than Microsoft Windows.
Not only does SQL Server 2017 provide support/integration with Linux OS, but it also includes the following key features:
- Real-time intelligence through built-in R and Python integration allowing for in-database analytics.
- Graph data processing support through Graph extensions to support complex relationships between entities.
- Adaptive query processing to allow for automatic “tuning” of a query as it compiles and executes without the need for intervention by a DBA.
Additionally, the changes between the last of the community technology previews and RC1 of SQL Server 2017 includes the following enhancements:
- Support for both Active Directory integration on Linux and Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt data on Linux in transit between Linux SQL instances and clients.
- Improvements to SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) with regards to improved Dynamic Management Views for insights into SSAS.
- Support for SSIS on Linux
- Support for SSIS on Windows in a High Availability architecture.
Whether running on Microsoft Windows or Linux, Microsoft SQL Server brings its benchmark-setting performance, security, and stability to your enterprise and its customers. If you don’t want to wait until general release to get your hands on the next evolution in the Microsoft data platform download RC1 today.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be expanding on coverage and insights into the new release of SQL Server. We are just as excited as you are about what this expansive new release of Microsoft SQL Server 2017 has to offer.
