SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor Preview and CTP 2.2 now available
Revised on July 28
UPDATE: The issue with the initial release of SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.2 that caused downtime during rolling upgrades across an AlwaysOn Availability Group has been corrected, and the download has been replaced. The download link now points to an updated build of 13.0.407.1 or higher. An upgrade to this build is recommended for all users of SQL Server 2016, including AlwaysOn users. For more information, visit the CTP 2.2 Release Note.
The SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor Preview and SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview (CTP) 2.2 are now available for download! This first look at SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor showcases a new platform for the database upgrade tool. It also introduces the Stretch Database Advisor, enabling customers to identify data for online, transparent cold storage in Azure. In SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.2, part of our new rapid preview model, we have made enhancements to several features that customers can try in their SQL Server 2016 development and test environments.
In SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.2, available for download today, customers will see enhancements in several key areas
- Users are able to add security policies including row-level security to a table that has been stretched to Azure using Stretch Database
- Master Data Services now allows compound keys, slowly changing dimension (SCD) Type 2, and syncing an entity between models
- SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) will now support two additional chart types, treemap and sunburst
CTP2 will also have improvements to the Query Store, Query Execution, DBCC CHECKCB performance, and Temporal Database.
SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor Preview
SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor Preview is a standalone tool that enables users of prior versions to find certain breaking and behavior changes as well as deprecated features in the database engine. Upgrade Advisor Preview also helps with the adoption of Stretch Database by analyzing existing database tables for fit with the new functionality based on criteria that the user selects, using the Stretch Database Advisor. Future releases will include enhancements to the upgrade rules and feature adoption advisors.
SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor Preview is available on the Microsoft Download Center and through the Web Platform Installer. We invite you to try it, and to provide feedback via the built-in tool.
Download SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.2 preview today!
As the foundation of our end-to-end data platform, SQL Server 2016 is the biggest leap forward in Microsoft’s data platform history with real-time operational analytics, rich visualizations on mobile devices, built-in advanced analytics, new advanced security technology, and both on-premises and in the cloud.
To learn more about the release, visit the SQL Server 2016 preview page. To experience the new, exciting features in SQL Server 2016 and the new rapid release model download the preview or trial the preview using a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure and start evaluating the impact these new innovations can have for your business. Also, be sure to share your feedback on the new SQL Server 2016 capabilities using Microsoft’s Connect tool. We look forward to hearing from you
