One of the most anticipated releases of this year is undoubtedly that of SQL server 2022 which is already currently in the Preview phase and is expected to be released in the second half of the year, in this article we will review some of the main features of this version.
Performance Improvements
There are two notable new performance features in SQL Server 2022. The first is a new set of features known as Intelligent Query Processing, allowing you to create better execution plans.
The second is that Microsoft has added improvements to the Query Store. For example, the query store is now enabled for all new databases. Another interesting feature is that the query store can now help solve performance issues related to MAXDOP configuration (maximum degree of parallelism), memory leases, and cardinality estimator by using a feedback loop to adapt and improve query execution plans. Finally, the query store now supports read-only replicas of availability groups and enables query suggestions directly within the query store to improve query performance without making actual changes to code.
High Availability and Connection Improvements
High availability in SQL Server 2022 enables you to quickly and easily connect on-premises SQL Server and an Azure MANAGED INSTANCE to use as a disaster recovery backup server or use as a read-only replica to generate workload reports.
Another connection created between SQL Server 2022 and Azure Synapse Analytics, called Azure Synapse Link, allows SQL Server 2022 to automatically feed data changes that occur in SQL Server directly to Azure Synapse Analytics without creating a new ETL pipeline.
Improvements in Security and Governance
In the last 10 years SQL Server has reported the fewest vulnerabilities compared to the competition, also adding a new feature called SQL Server Ledger creates an immutable history of data modifications over time using blockchain technologies. This protects data from manipulation, which is useful for certain situations and use cases, and also offers advantages for internal and external audits.
