New Features in SQL Server 2016

New in SQL Server 2016...

Query store

The Query store captures queries, query plans, runtime statistics, etc. in a persistent store inside the database. This can be used by DBA's for performance troubleshooting and identifying regressed workloads.

Live Query Statistics

SQL Server 2016 has a new feature, called Live Query Statistics (LQS), that allows you to view what is happening during the query execution. This allows you to view associated statistics such as current CPU/memory usage, execution time and query progress. Making the process of identifying potential bottlenecks a lot simpler.

JSON 

Native JSON support is included in SQL Server 2016. It comes with several new T-SQL constructs to facilitate working with JSON data.

Temporal Database Support

2016 also comes with temporal database support. This feature provides correct information about stored facts at any point in time, which is a convenient way to query table snapshots from any point in time, or data over a particular time range.

Security

The Always Encrypted feature gives the ability to have your data encrypted whilst at rest and in motion. You can also query your data while it is still encrypted. 

Row-Level Security provides fine-grained access control over rows in a table based upon conditions you set up.

SQL Server’s Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) allows organizations to encrypt data when it is stored on a disk, and decrypt it when it is read into memory. 

SQL Server also has the ability to encrypt the data while creating a backup. In 2016 backup encryption is now supported with compression.

The new Always Encrypted feature can also protect sensitive data stored in a SQL database from DBAs and other high-privileged yet unauthorized users. A special database admin role can be created for standard database administration, without the ability to access user data. 

Microsoft has stated that SQL Server 2016 is the first data platform solution on the market providing query-able encryption.

Auditing

SQL Server 2016 supports important new functionality for auditing. This gives the DBA the ability to audit whether an underlying operation was successful as well as whether the permissions check succeeded or failed.

Availability

SQL Server 2016 adds significant new enhancements to AlwaysOn. You can have up to three synchronous replicas, on different domains either on-site or on Azure virtual machines.

Enhancements

AlwaysOn in the areas of scalability and manageability. Increased number of auto-failover targets from two to three.

Physical processing now scales up to 640 logical processors, and virtual machines scale up to 64 logical processors.

There are increased upward limits on memory available to the operating system.

SQL Server 2016 now implements Microsoft’s next-generation cryptography.

SQL Server supports as many as 15,000 table partitions.

Cost-effective Solution

Many vendors deliver limited functionality in their premium editions and including further charges for additional options or feature packs. SQL Server Enterprise includes a range of capabilities for data integration, data management, data warehouse, data cleansing,and end-to-end business intelligence all included in the price.

Links:

Microsoft - Announcing SQL Server 2016

Microsoft -  Migrate from Oracle with free licenses

Microsoft -   SQL Server 2016 datasheet