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Key Highlights

• Azure Active Directory authentication enhancements for simplified and secure access.
• SQL Server Ledger for tamper-evident data tracking and auditing.
• Continued integration with Azure services, including Azure Synapse Link and Azure Purview.
• Performance improvements in query processing and memory management.
• Enhanced security features including Always Encrypted with secure enclaves.

For detailed information, see the full release notes for SQL Server 2022.

Key Highlights

• Big Data Clusters for integrating SQL Server with Spark and HDFS.
• Intelligent Query Processing (IQP) features for automatic performance tuning.
• Data Virtualization with PolyBase for querying data in external sources.
• Built-in machine learning services with Python and R integration.
• Enhanced security and compliance features.

For detailed information, see the full release notes for SQL Server 2019.

Key Highlights

• Cross-platform support: SQL Server on Linux and containers (Docker).
• Graph database capabilities for modeling and querying relationships.
• Adaptive Query Processing for dynamic optimization of query plans.
• Resumable online index rebuilds for reduced downtime.
• Improved string data handling and security features.

For detailed information, see the full release notes for SQL Server 2017.

Key Fixes and Improvements

• Resolved various bugs affecting performance and stability across different components.
• Addressed security vulnerabilities to enhance data protection.
• Included cumulative updates and minor enhancements based on customer feedback.

See the SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 2 release notes for a detailed list of fixes.

Key Highlights

• Always Encrypted for end-to-end data encryption.
• Row-Level Security for granular data access control.
• Dynamic Data Masking to obfuscate sensitive data.
• In-Memory OLTP and Columnstore improvements for significant performance gains.
• R and Python integration for advanced analytics.

For detailed information, see the full release notes for SQL Server 2016.

Key Fixes and Improvements

• Addressed critical issues impacting performance, security, and stability.
• Improvements to AlwaysOn Availability Groups and In-Memory OLTP.
• Resolved bugs reported by customers and internal testing.

Consult the SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 1 release notes for a comprehensive list.

Key Highlights

• In-Memory OLTP for significant transaction processing performance improvements.
• Buffer Pool Extension to utilize SSDs for extending the buffer pool.
• Enhancements to AlwaysOn Availability Groups.
• Data Quality Services and Master Data Services improvements.

Find complete details in the full release notes for SQL Server 2014.