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SQL Server

SQL Server Roadmap Posts

All SQL Server Roadmaps
Power BI Power BI is Microsoft’s business intelligence (BI) service for creating and sharing reports, dashboards, paginated... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Server Integration Services SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a role in SQL Server, Microsoft’s longstanding on-premises database... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
Power BI Report Server Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) is Microsoft’s on-premises report server. It hosts paginated reports built... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Managed Instance Azure SQL Managed Instance is a PaaS database management offering based on SQL Server‘s latest... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Server Analysis Services SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) is a role in SQL Server, Microsoft’s long-standing on-premises database... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Server SQL Server is a server-based product that provides database management, integration, reporting, business intelligence, and... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Database Azure SQL Database is a multitenant relational database management cloud service, based on SQL Server‘s... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
Database Migration Service Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) offers computing resources, orchestration features, assessment and testing tools, and... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Server Reporting Services SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a role in SQL Server, Microsoft’s long-standing on-premises database... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
Azure Analysis Services Azure Analysis Services (AAS) is a managed Azure service that hosts business intelligence (BI) semantic... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
Azure Data Factory Azure Data Factory (ADF) is a managed cloud service for building and running extract, transform,... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Data Sync The Azure SQL Data Sync service acts as a cloud hub for synchronizing data across... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Edge Azure SQL Edge retired in Sept. 2025. For more details and migration advice, see the... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
SQL Server Stretch Database Roadmap for Azure SQL Server Stretch Database, a hosted data storage service used with on-premises... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap
Server Application Version Support This chart (fig 1.) displays server application compatibility with Windows Server and SQL Server versions under Mainstream... more
Business Applications Roadmap
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap – Overall Trends This section discusses high-level trends that Directions sees in the areas of Database, Analytics, AI, and... more
Database, Analytics, and AI/ML Roadmap

SQL Server Analyst Reports

All SQL Server Reports
Azure Savings Plan for Databases Now Available Updated: October 14, 2026 Azure Savings Plan for Databases, introduced in Mar. 2026, may offer significant savings for organizations...more Azure SQL Database DTUs: There’s a Better Way July 1, 2026 The Azure SQL Database DTU model bundles compute, memory, and storage that are easy to...more What Data Does Azure Arc Share with Microsoft? April 29, 2026 Azure Arc is an increasingly necessary management framework for organizations, particularly those seeking to use...more SQL Server 2016/2017 Integration Services Migration April 20, 2026 SQL Server Integration Services options remain strong, and there’s no immediate need to migrate away...more SQL Server 2016/2017 BI Migration: Destinations Point to Power BI March 13, 2026 Power BI or Fabric are Microsoft’s direction for reporting and analysis services unless organizations consider...more SQL Server 2016/2017 Database Migration: So Many Choices January 26, 2026 Organizations should develop plans to migrate off SQL Server 2016/2017 before the end of Extended support.  Migrating the database is likely the largest task but is manageable and less...more Top Reasons to Use SQL Server 2025 and a Few Reasons to Avoid It January 14, 2026 SQL Server 2025 reached general availability in Nov. 2025 and offers compelling changes that should...more SQL Server 2016/2017 Migration Strategy: Risks and Opportunities January 5, 2026 SQL Server 2016 and 2017 are leaving Extended support (in July 2026 and Oct. 2027,...more Free SQL Server Developer Edition Is Mostly for Demos Updated: January 2, 2026 SQL Server Developer edition is free for development and test use. Because the product requires...more Power BI Report Server: Licensing Changes Offer Potential Cost Savings December 15, 2025 Power BI Report Server licensing rules changed with SQL Server 2025, offering potential cost savings....more Goodbye SQL Server Reporting Services and Hello Power BI Report Server December 1, 2025 SQL Server 2025 (released in Nov. 2025) will not include Reporting Services (SSRS), its long-standing reporting...more Azure SQL Managed Instance’s New Authentication Option to Help with Migrations November 3, 2025 SQL Managed Instance adds support for native Windows logins, removing the last barrier to migrating...more SQL Server Management Studio Update Will Integrate GitHub Copilot Updated: October 23, 2025 A new version of SQL Server Management Studio brings the most significant updates to the...more ESUs Protect Systems Past Support Updated: October 23, 2025 Customers should subscribe to ESUs for any unsupported Microsoft software they run. Systems without ESUs...more Azure Data Studio Is Retiring: What You Need to Do and When September 13, 2025 Azure Data Studio, long touted as the future for data management in Azure, will be...more How to Track Azure Hybrid Benefit Use Rights for SQL Server Updated: September 8, 2025 Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the proper licenses to keep their Azure Hybrid...more

Infographics

All SQL Server Infographics
Explains how to calculate the number of core licenses required for SQL Server (versions 2025 / 2022 / 2019 / 2017 / 2016 / 2014) Enterprise and Standard editions under the Per Core License Model. Per Core License Model Flowchart May 1, 2026 SQL Server Edition Packaging May 1, 2026 Server Application Version Support March 17, 2026

Podcasts

What Are Microsoft Enterprise Customers Thinking?

October 1, 2026

· Season - 5 · Episode - 16 · Duration - 29m Three Smart Guys: It’s All About the Data

March 4, 2026

· Season - 1 · Episode - 2 · Duration - 33m SQL Server Migrations: Tips to Help You Prepare

February 12, 2026

· Season - 5 · Episode - 3 · Duration - 25m
All SQL Server Podcasts

Blog

Two people looking at screens and documents in an audit April 29, 2026 How to Avoid the Three Most Expensive Words in a Microsoft Audit  by
Dave Doohen  
Updated: January 9, 2025 SQL Server: The Polymath of Databases? Directions Team by
Greg DeMichillie  
Updated: April 8, 2024 Answer This: How to control costs when licensing Windows Server 2012 ESUs for VMs Mary Jo Foley by
Mary Jo Foley  
All SQL Server Blogs