New Features and Enhancements in SQL Server 2022

 

SQL Server 2022 introduces a variety of innovative features and performance enhancements. Below is a detailed overview of these advancements:

Azure Synapse Link for SQL

Azure Synapse Link for SQL Server 2022 enables near real-time data replication to Azure Synapse Analytics. This feature facilitates running analytics, business intelligence, and machine learning scenarios on operational data without impacting the performance of the source database. By utilizing change tracking, Azure Synapse Link ensures minimal impact on your database’s performance, delivering faster insights and better decision-making.

Object Storage Integration

SQL Server 2022 supports integration with S3-compatible object storage and Azure Storage, enabling more cost-effective data storage solutions. Key integrations include:

  • Backup to URL: Leverage S3-compatible storage using the Backup to URL feature for backup and restoration purposes via a REST API connection.
  • Data Lake Virtualization: Query and analyze data in Azure Data Lake Storage without moving it to SQL Server.

Data Virtualization

Enhancements in SQL Server 2022 allow for querying external data using Poly Base with Oracle TNS files, the MongoDB API for Cosmos DB, and ODBC.

Azure SQL Managed Instance Link

This feature supports real-time data replication from SQL Server to Azure SQL Managed Instance. It enables:

  • Scaling read-only workloads
  • Offloading analytics and reporting to Azure
  • Migrating data to the Azure cloud
  • Implementing disaster recovery solutions

Contained Availability Groups

SQL Server 2022 introduces contained availability groups, which simplify the management of system objects like users, logins, permissions, and SQL Server agent jobs at the availability group level. This feature also supports specific availability groups for contained system databases.

Enhanced Security

SQL Server 2022 includes several new security features designed to safeguard database systems:

  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud Integration: Protects SQL Server environments across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud settings.
  • Microsoft Purview Integration: Applies Microsoft Purview policies to SQL servers enrolled in Azure Arc and Microsoft Purview Data use management.
  • Ledger: Provides a highly secure database with tamper-evidence capabilities.
  • Azure Active Directory Authentication: Configures Azure Active Directory authentication for SQL Server database connections.
  • Always Encrypted with Secure Enclaves: Supports JOIN, ORDER BY, and GROUP BY clauses for UTF-8 collation in confidential queries using secure enclaves.
  • MS-TDS 8.0 Protocol Support: Supports TDS 8.0 and TLS 1.3 for data encryption.

Query Store Hints and Intelligent Query Processing

  • Query Store Hints: Allow users to provide additional information about queries to SQL Server, improving performance.
  • Intelligent Query Processing: Features adaptive query optimization, memory grant feedback, parameter-sensitive plan optimization, degree of parallelism (DOP), and query parallelization.

Performance Improvements

SQL Server 2022 includes several key performance enhancements:

  • Improved In-Memory OLTP Performance: Faster startup times and enhanced query performance.
  • Reduced I/O: Better buffer pool management and improved compression.
  • Optimized Query Processing: Improved query plan caching and adaptive query optimization.
  • Enhanced Performance for Column store Indexes, Temporal Tables, and Machine Learning Workloads

Time-based data manage and analyze

  • System-Versioned Temporal Tables:
    • Automatically track historical changes to your data.
    • Query data as it existed at any point in time without manual change tracking.
  • Date and Time Functions:
    • Utilise built-in functions like DATEADD, DATEDIFF, DATENAME, DATEPART, and GETDATE for time-based data manipulation.
    • Use newer functions like FORMAT for flexible date and time formatting.
  • Window Functions:
    • Perform calculations across sets of rows with functions such as ROW_NUMBER, RANK, LAG, and LEAD.
    • It is useful for running totals, moving averages, and other time-based calculations.
  • Indexing Improvements:
    • Enhanced indexing strategies, including filtered indexes and column store indexes, improve query performance.
    • Filtered indexes optimise queries on subsets of data, which is beneficial for recent time-based data.
  • Partitioning:
    • Manage large tables by partitioning them into smaller pieces based on date/time columns.
    • Improves query performance and data management efficiency.
  • Query Store and Intelligent Query Processing:
    • Query Store tracks and analyzes query performance over time, aiding in indexing and optimization decisions.
    • Intelligent Query Processing enhancements improve the performance of time-based queries through adaptive execution strategies.
  • Data Compression:
    • Row and page-level data compression reduce storage requirements and improve I/O performance, which is beneficial for large time series datasets.
  • Enhanced JSON Support:
    • Improved support for JSON data allows storage and querying of JSON-formatted time series data, offering flexibility in data handling.

Conclusion

SQL Server 2022 is a significant release that offers numerous new features and enhancements, providing substantial value for both existing users and those considering SQL Server for the first time.

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