Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Standard Edition
Overview:
1. Edition: Microsoft SQL Server 2017 (Standard / Enterprise / Express / Developer)
2. Release Date: October 2, 2017
3. Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, and Docker containers
4. License Model: Core-based or Server + CAL
5. Main Focus: Cross-platform support, adaptive query performance, and built-in AI integration
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⚙️ Core Database Engine Features
| Feature |
Description |
| Cross-Platform Support |
First SQL Server version to run on Windows, Linux, and in Docker containers. |
| Adaptive Query Processing |
Automatically adjusts execution plans for changing workloads — improving performance without manual tuning. |
| Automatic Plan Correction |
Detects and fixes query performance regressions automatically. |
| Resumable Online Index Rebuilds |
Enables pausing/resuming of index rebuilds to reduce downtime during maintenance. |
| Graph Database Support |
Introduces node and edge tables for modeling complex relationships like social networks or hierarchies. |
| String Aggregation (STRING_AGG) |
Simplifies text concatenation in SQL queries. |
| JSON Support |
Store, query, and format JSON data natively. |
| Temporal Tables |
Keep a full history of data changes for auditing or version tracking. |
| Query Store |
Tracks query performance history and helps troubleshoot regressions. |
| Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) |
Protects sensitive data by masking it from unauthorized users. |
| Row-Level Security (RLS) |
Restricts data access based on user identity or role. |
| Always Encrypted |
Protects sensitive data at rest and in transit. |
| Stretch Database |
Migrate historical data transparently to Azure for lower-cost storage. |
| Table-Valued Parameters & JSON Functions |
Improved developer flexibility for app integration. |
Security and Compliance
| Feature |
Description |
| Always Encrypted |
Data remains encrypted during computation and transmission. |
| Row-Level Security (RLS) |
Granular control over which users can access specific data rows. |
| Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) |
Masks sensitive data in real time based on user privileges. |
| Backup Encryption |
Ensures secure data backups with encryption algorithms. |
| Auditing Enhancements |
Improved tracking of user and system activity. |
| Azure Active Directory Authentication |
Secure authentication for hybrid and cloud environments. |
Performance and Scalability
| Feature |
Description |
| Adaptive Query Processing (AQP) |
Dynamically adjusts execution plans to optimize performance. |
| Automatic Database Tuning |
Self-corrects query performance issues automatically. |
| In-Memory OLTP (Memory-Optimized Tables) |
Boosts transaction throughput for high-concurrency workloads. |
| Columnstore Indexes |
Enables high compression and fast analytic queries. |
| Query Store |
Tracks and optimizes query performance over time. |
| Persistent Memory (NVDIMM) Support |
Faster transaction logging and checkpointing. |
| Buffer Pool Extension |
Uses SSDs to expand memory cache. |
High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HA/DR)
| Feature |
Description |
| Basic Availability Groups (Standard Edition) |
Offers HA with 2 replicas and automatic failover. |
| Always On Availability Groups (Enterprise) |
Up to 8 replicas with advanced failover support. |
| Automatic Seeding |
Automatically initializes secondary replicas. |
| Cross-Platform Replication (Linux ↔ Windows) |
Replication supported across operating systems. |
| Online Index Rebuilds |
Perform index maintenance without downtime. |
| Backup to Azure |
Simplified offsite backup to Microsoft Azure. |
Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
| Feature |
Description |
| SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) |
Modern web-based report portal with KPIs and mobile reports. |
| SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) |
Tabular models upgraded to 1400 compatibility level (faster DAX and memory efficiency). |
| SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) |
Supports deployment to Linux and integration with Azure Data Factory. |
| R & Python Integration (Machine Learning Services) |
Run advanced analytics and machine learning directly inside SQL Server. |
| PolyBase (External Data Access) |
Query external data sources (Hadoop, Oracle, Azure Blob, etc.) using T-SQL. |
| Data Quality Services (DQS) |
Cleansing and matching data using rules and reference data. |
☁️ Cloud Integration and Hybrid Features
| Feature |
Description |
| Backup to Microsoft Azure |
Natively back up databases to Azure Storage. |
| Stretch Database to Azure |
Migrate cold data to Azure for cost savings. |
| Integration with Azure SQL Database |
Seamless migration and hybrid scenarios. |
| Azure Active Directory Authentication |
Integrated identity management for cloud and on-premises. |
| Docker & Container Deployment |
SQL Server 2017 can run as a container for cloud-native workloads. |
Developer and Programmability Features
| Feature |
Description |
| Cross-Platform Development |
Works on Windows, Linux, and Docker for maximum flexibility. |
| Support for Multiple Languages |
Native execution of R and Python for AI/ML. |
| New T-SQL Enhancements |
Includes TRIM, CONCAT_WS, STRING_AGG, and TRANSLATE. |
| CLR Integration |
Common Language Runtime for .NET code execution inside SQL Server. |
| Graph Extensions |
Model many-to-many relationships using nodes and edges. |
| JSON Support |
Parse and format JSON directly in T-SQL. |
| Linux Command-Line Tools |
Includes sqlcmd and bcp utilities for Linux environments. |
System Requirements (Minimum)
| Component |
Requirement |
| CPU |
x64 processor (1.4 GHz or faster) |
| Memory (Min) |
4 GB (recommended 8 GB+) |
| Disk Space |
6 GB minimum for installation |
| Supported OS |
Windows Server 2012 R2 or later, or major Linux distros (Red Hat, Ubuntu, SUSE) |
| .NET Framework |
4.6 or later (Windows only) |
| Architecture |
64-bit only |
Key Improvements Over SQL Server 2016
| Area |
Improvement |
| Platform |
Added full Linux and Docker support. |
| Performance |
Introduced Adaptive Query Processing & Automatic Tuning. |
| Analytics |
Added Python integration (Machine Learning Services). |
| Database Engine |
Added Graph Data support and resumable index rebuilds. |
| T-SQL |
Introduced new functions (STRING_AGG, TRIM, TRANSLATE). |
| High Availability |
Enhanced Always On AGs with cross-platform replication. |
✅ In Summary — SQL Server 2017 Highlights
-
Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, Docker)
-
Adaptive Query Processing for smarter performance
-
Graph Database capabilities
-
Machine Learning with R and Python
-
PolyBase for querying external data
-
Improved HA/DR and cloud integration
-
Advanced security (RLS, DDM, Always Encrypted)
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 – Standard vs Enterprise Edition (Full Technical Comparison)
| Category |
SQL Server 2017 Standard Edition |
SQL Server 2017 Enterprise Edition |
| Release Date |
October 2017 |
October 2017 |
| Supported Platforms |
Windows & Linux |
Windows & Linux |
| Licensing Model |
Core-based or Server + CAL |
Core-based only |
| Target Audience |
Small to medium businesses |
Large enterprises, mission-critical workloads |
⚙️ Core Database Engine
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Max Compute Capacity (SQL Engine) |
Lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores |
OS maximum (no limit) |
| Max Compute Capacity (Analysis/Reporting) |
Lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores |
OS maximum |
| Max Memory (Database Engine) |
128 GB |
OS maximum |
| Max Memory (Columnstore Cache) |
32 GB |
OS maximum |
| Max Memory (SSAS) |
16 GB per instance |
OS maximum |
| Max Database Size |
524 PB |
524 PB |
| Maximum Instances per Server |
50 |
50 |
| In-Memory OLTP (Memory-Optimized Tables) |
Limited (32 GB per DB) |
Full support |
| Table Partitioning |
❌ |
✅ |
| Data Compression (Row, Page) |
❌ |
✅ |
| Columnstore Indexes |
✅ (Nonclustered only) |
✅ (Clustered & Nonclustered) |
| In-Memory Columnstore |
Limited |
Full |
| Table/Index Rebuild (Resumable) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Temporal Tables |
✅ |
✅ |
| Query Store |
✅ |
✅ |
| Automatic Plan Correction |
✅ |
✅ |
| Adaptive Query Processing |
✅ (basic) |
✅ (full) |
| PolyBase (Query External Data) |
✅ (limited connectors) |
✅ (all connectors, including Hadoop, Oracle, Teradata) |
| Graph Database |
✅ |
✅ |
| JSON Support |
✅ |
✅ |
| CLR Integration |
✅ |
✅ |
| Stretch Database to Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
| Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Row-Level Security (RLS) |
✅ |
✅ |
Security and Compliance
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Authentication (Windows, SQL, Azure AD) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Always Encrypted |
✅ |
✅ |
| Row-Level Security (RLS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) |
❌ |
✅ |
| Backup Encryption |
✅ |
✅ |
| Auditing (Basic) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Fine-Grained Auditing |
❌ |
✅ |
| Extensible Key Management (EKM) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Column-Level Encryption |
✅ |
✅ |
| Secure Enclaves (Always Encrypted Enhanced) |
❌ |
❌ (introduced later in 2019) |
| Compliance Certifications (FIPS, Common Criteria) |
✅ |
✅ |
Performance and Scalability
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Query Store |
✅ |
✅ |
| Automatic Tuning |
✅ (limited) |
✅ (advanced) |
| Adaptive Query Processing |
✅ (batch mode) |
✅ (full) |
| Batch Mode on Rowstore |
❌ |
✅ |
| Table Variable Deferred Compilation |
✅ |
✅ |
| Scalar UDF Inlining |
❌ |
✅ |
| Parallel Query Execution |
✅ (limited) |
✅ (unlimited) |
| Resource Governor |
❌ |
✅ |
| Buffer Pool Extension (SSD caching) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Persistent Memory (PMEM) Support |
✅ |
✅ |
| Advanced Read-Ahead Optimization |
✅ |
✅ |
| Fast Query Execution (IQP) |
Partial |
Full |
| Lockless Columnstore Operations |
❌ |
✅ |
| Partitioned Table Parallelism |
❌ |
✅ |
| Advanced Indexing (Filtered, Compressed, Online) |
❌ |
✅ |
High Availability (HA) & Disaster Recovery (DR)
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Failover Cluster Instance (FCI) |
✅ (2 nodes max) |
✅ (unlimited nodes) |
| Basic Availability Groups |
✅ (2 replicas, 1 DB) |
✅ (8 replicas, multiple DBs) |
| Distributed Availability Groups |
❌ |
✅ |
| Readable Secondaries |
❌ |
✅ |
| Automatic Page Repair |
✅ |
✅ |
| Online Index Rebuilds |
✅ (resumable) |
✅ (full online rebuild) |
| Online Page & File Restore |
❌ |
✅ |
| Hybrid Backup to Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
| Database Snapshot |
❌ |
✅ |
| Database Mirroring (Deprecated) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Log Shipping |
✅ |
✅ |
| Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR) |
❌ |
❌ (added in SQL 2019) |
Business Intelligence (BI) & Data Analytics
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) |
✅ (Tabular models up to 16 GB) |
✅ (Full Tabular + Multidimensional) |
| Power BI Report Server Integration |
Optional |
Optional |
| Data Mining |
❌ |
✅ |
| Advanced DAX Functions (SSAS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| DirectQuery Mode (SSAS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| In-Memory Analytics (VertiPaq) |
❌ |
✅ |
| Integration Services (SSIS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| SSIS Scale-Out Master/Worker |
❌ |
✅ |
| Machine Learning Services (R & Python) |
✅ (1 concurrent user per instance) |
✅ (multi-user concurrent execution) |
| PolyBase (Data Virtualization) |
✅ (limited) |
✅ (full) |
| Data Quality Services (DQS) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Master Data Services (MDS) |
❌ |
✅ |
☁️ Cloud and Hybrid Integration
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Backup to Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
| Database Files in Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
| Stretch Database |
✅ |
✅ |
| Azure Active Directory Authentication |
✅ |
✅ |
| PolyBase for External Data |
✅ (basic) |
✅ (full) |
| Integration with Azure Data Factory |
✅ |
✅ |
| Linked Servers / External Tables |
✅ |
✅ |
| Always On AG to Azure VM |
❌ |
✅ |
| Cloud Witness for Failover |
✅ |
✅ |
Developer and Programmability Features
| Feature |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Transact-SQL (T-SQL) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Common Language Runtime (CLR) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Graph Tables (Nodes & Edges) |
✅ |
✅ |
| JSON Support |
✅ |
✅ |
| Stored Procedures, Views, Triggers |
✅ |
✅ |
| Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) |
Partial |
Full |
| Extended Events |
✅ |
✅ |
| Service Broker |
✅ |
✅ |
| Change Data Capture (CDC) |
❌ |
✅ |
| Change Tracking |
✅ |
✅ |
| Replication (Snapshot, Transactional) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Peer-to-Peer Replication |
❌ |
✅ |
| Linked Servers |
✅ |
✅ |
| CLR Integration |
✅ |
✅ |
System Requirements (Minimum)
| Component |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Processor (CPU) |
x64, 1.4 GHz or faster |
x64, 1.4 GHz or faster |
| Memory (Min) |
4 GB (8 GB recommended) |
4 GB (16 GB+ recommended) |
| Disk Space |
6 GB |
6 GB |
| Operating System |
Windows Server 2012 R2+ / Linux |
Windows Server 2012 R2+ / Linux |
| .NET Framework |
4.6+ |
4.6+ |
| Architecture |
64-bit only |
64-bit only |
Key Advantages of Enterprise Edition Over Standard
| Area |
Enterprise Advantage |
| Performance & Scalability |
Unlimited CPU & RAM, partitioning, compression, resource governor |
| Security |
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), fine-grained auditing |
| High Availability |
Multi-database, multi-replica Always On AG, distributed AG, online restore |
| Analytics |
Advanced SSAS, in-memory BI, Master Data Services |
| Data Management |
Change Data Capture (CDC), peer-to-peer replication |
| In-Memory Performance |
Full In-Memory OLTP & Columnstore |
| BI & ML |
Unlimited parallel R/Python execution |
| Operational Efficiency |
Online index rebuilds, resource governance, partition switching |
✅ Summary – SQL Server 2017 Edition Comparison
| Category |
Standard Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Best For |
Mid-tier applications, departmental databases |
Mission-critical workloads, enterprise-scale analytics |
| Max Cores |
24 |
Unlimited |
| Max RAM |
128 GB |
Unlimited |
| High Availability |
Basic AG (2 replicas) |
Always On AG (8 replicas, distributed) |
| Security |
Advanced (no TDE) |
Enterprise-grade (TDE, full auditing) |
| Performance |
Strong |
Maximum |
| BI/Analytics |
Core BI |
Full BI, Data Mining, MDS |
| Machine Learning |
Limited concurrency |
Multi-user, scalable |
| Licensing |
Core or Server + CAL |
Core-only |
Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition Comparison (2016 vs 2017 vs 2019 vs 2022)
| Category |
SQL Server 2016 Standard |
SQL Server 2017 Standard |
SQL Server 2019 Standard |
SQL Server 2022 Standard |
| Release Date |
June 2016 |
October 2017 |
November 2019 |
November 2022 |
| Supported OS |
Windows only |
Windows & Linux |
Windows & Linux |
Windows & Linux |
| Licensing |
Core-based or Server + CAL |
Core-based or Server + CAL |
Core-based or Server + CAL |
Core-based or Server + CAL |
| Max Compute Capacity (SQL Engine) |
Lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores |
Same |
Same |
Same |
| Max Compute Capacity (Analysis/Reporting) |
Lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores |
Same |
Same |
Same |
| Max Buffer Pool Memory |
128 GB |
128 GB |
128 GB |
128 GB |
| Max Memory for Columnstore Cache |
32 GB |
32 GB |
32 GB |
32 GB |
| Max Database Size |
524 PB |
524 PB |
524 PB |
524 PB |
| Max RAM for SSRS/SSAS |
16 GB per instance |
16 GB per instance |
16 GB per instance |
16 GB per instance |
⚙️ Core Database Engine Features
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Database Engine (Core RDBMS) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| In-Memory OLTP |
Limited (32 GB) |
Limited |
Limited |
Limited |
| Table & Index Partitioning |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
| Data Compression |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
| Columnstore Index (Nonclustered) |
✅ (Read-only) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Query Store |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Temporal Tables |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Stretch Database (to Azure) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ (deprecated later) |
❌ (removed) |
| JSON Support |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Graph Tables |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| UTF-8 Encoding |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Ledger (Immutable Table) |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
| Resumable Index Rebuild |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR) |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ (faster recovery) |
| Intelligent Query Processing |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ (base) |
✅ (enhanced) |
| Parameter Sensitivity Feedback |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
Security Features
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Authentication (Windows & SQL) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Always Encrypted |
✅ |
✅ (improved) |
✅ (secure enclaves) |
✅ (enhanced with Azure Key Vault) |
| Row-Level Security (RLS) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ (added in 2022 Standard) |
| Backup Encryption |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Auditing |
Basic |
Basic |
Basic |
Basic |
| Data Classification |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Azure AD Authentication |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Ledger Tables |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
Performance and Scalability
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Automatic Tuning |
❌ |
✅ (basic) |
✅ |
✅ (intelligent) |
| Adaptive Query Processing |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ (IQP v2) |
| Batch Mode on Rowstore |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Approximate Count Distinct |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Table Variable Deferred Compilation |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Scalar UDF Inlining |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| TempDB Optimization |
Basic |
Basic |
Improved |
Improved |
| Buffer Pool Extension |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Persistent Memory (PMEM) Support |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Resource Governor |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR)
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Basic Availability Groups |
✅ (1 database, 2 replicas) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Distributed AG |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
| Failover Cluster Instances (FCI)** |
✅ (2 nodes max) |
✅ (2 nodes) |
✅ (2 nodes) |
✅ (2 nodes) |
| Online Index Rebuild |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Backup Compression & Encryption |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Accelerated Database Recovery |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Online Page & File Restore |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
| Managed Backup to Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Automatic Seeding |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Cross-Version AG (Upgrade support) |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Link to Azure SQL Managed Instance |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ (new) |
Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) |
✅ (modern UI) |
✅ |
✅ (Power BI integration) |
✅ |
| SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) |
✅ (Tabular/Multidimensional) |
✅ (1400 model) |
✅ (1500 model) |
✅ (enhanced DAX) |
| SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) |
✅ |
✅ (Linux support) |
✅ (Azure Data Factory integration) |
✅ (cloud scale-out) |
| Data Mining |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
| Power BI Report Server Integration |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
☁️ Cloud and Hybrid Integration
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Backup to Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Database Files in Azure |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Stretch Database |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ (removed) |
| PolyBase (External Data Query) |
❌ |
✅ (basic) |
✅ (expanded connectors) |
✅ (S3, Synapse, Cosmos DB) |
| Azure AD Authentication |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Azure Synapse Link |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
| Azure Arc Integration |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
| Link to Managed Instance (DR to Azure) |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
Development and Tools
| Feature |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| T-SQL Enhancements |
Basic |
✅ (STRING_AGG, TRIM) |
✅ (improved) |
✅ (DATETRUNC, GREATEST, LEAST) |
| JSON Support |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| CLR Integration |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| PolyBase |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Python/R Support (ML Services) |
❌ |
✅ (R/Python) |
✅ |
✅ |
| Java Integration |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Azure Data Studio Support |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Visual Studio Data Tools (SSDT) |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
System Requirements
| Component |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| CPU |
x64, 1.4 GHz min (2.0+ recommended) |
Same |
Same |
Same |
| Memory (Min) |
4 GB |
4 GB |
4 GB |
4 GB |
| Disk Space |
6 GB |
6 GB |
6 GB |
8 GB |
| OS |
Windows Server 2012+ |
Windows Server 2012 R2 / Linux |
Windows Server 2016+ / Linux |
Windows Server 2019+ / Linux |
| .NET Framework |
4.6+ |
4.6+ |
4.7+ |
4.8+ |
| Architecture |
64-bit only |
64-bit only |
64-bit only |
64-bit only |
Key New Features by Version
| Version |
Major Additions |
| SQL Server 2016 Standard |
Always Encrypted, Row-Level Security, Temporal Tables, Query Store |
| SQL Server 2017 Standard |
Linux support, Adaptive Query Processing, Graph Tables, Python Integration |
| SQL Server 2019 Standard |
Intelligent Query Processing, UTF-8, Big Data integration, Secure Enclaves |
| SQL Server 2022 Standard |
Azure Synapse Link, Ledger Tables, TDE support, Link to Managed Instance, Azure Arc |
✅ Summary – At a Glance
| Category |
2016 |
2017 |
2019 |
2022 |
| Platform Support |
Windows only |
Windows & Linux |
Windows & Linux |
Windows & Linux |
| Security Level |
Strong |
Improved |
Strong + Enclaves |
Enterprise-grade (TDE, Ledger) |
| Performance Enhancements |
Baseline |
Adaptive Queries |
Intelligent Query Processing |
Next-gen IQP + Parameter Sensitivity |
| Cloud Integration |
Basic (Stretch DB) |
Improved |
Hybrid-ready |
Fully hybrid (Azure Arc, Synapse) |
| Machine Learning |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Best Use Case |
On-premises SMB workloads |
Hybrid Linux/Windows use |
Intelligent mid-tier analytics |
Modern hybrid data apps & cloud integration |
