--- title: "What's New in SQL Server 2016" ms.custom: "" ms.date: "07/21/2017" ms.prod: sql ms.prod_service: sql ms.component: "sql-non-specified" ms.reviewer: "" ms.suite: "sql" ms.technology: - "server-general" ms.tgt_pltfrm: "" ms.topic: conceptual keywords: - "new sql server" helpviewer_keywords: - "new features [SQL Server]" - "SQL Server, what's new" - "SQL Server 2008 what's new" - "what's new [SQL Server]" ms.assetid: 6a428023-e3cc-4626-a88a-4c13ccbd7db0 caps.latest.revision: 224 author: "craigg-msft" ms.author: "craigg" manager: craigg --- # What's new in SQL Server 2016 [!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2016-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2016-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)] With SQL Server 2016, you can build intelligent, mission-critical applications using a scalable, hybrid database platform that has everything built in, from in-memory performance and advanced security to in-database analytics. The SQL Server 2016 release adds new security features, querying capabilities, Hadoop and cloud integration, R analytics and more, along with numerous improvements and enhancements. This page provides summary information and links to more detailed SQL Server 2016 what's new information for each SQL Server component. ![SQL Server 2016](../sql-server/media/sql-server-2016.png) **Try SQL Server today!** - Download the **free** [**SQL Server 2016 Developer edition!**](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/sql-server-editions-developers). - Download the latest version of [SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)](../ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms.md). - Have an Azure account? Spin up a [Virtual Machine with SQL Server 2016 already installed](https://azure.microsoft.com/marketplace/partners/microsoft/sqlserver2016sp1standardwindowsserver2016/). ## SQL Server 2016 Database Engine - You can now configure **multiple tempDB** database files during SQL Server installation and setup. - New **Query Store** stores query texts, execution plans, and performance metrics within the database, allowing easy monitoring and troubleshooting of performance issues. A dashboard shows which queries consumed the most time, memory or CPU resources. - **Temporal tables** are history tables which record all data changes, complete with the date and time they occurred. - New built-in **JSON support** in SQL Server supports JSON imports, exports, parsing and storing. - New **PolyBase** query engine integrates SQL Server with external data in Hadoop or Azure Blob storage. You can import and export data as well as executing queries. - The new **Stretch Database** feature lets you dynamically, securely archive data from a local SQL Server database to an Azure SQL database in the cloud. SQL Server automatically queries both local and remote data in the linked databases. - **In-memory OLTP:** - Now supports FOREIGN KEY, UNIQUE and CHECK constraints, and native compiled stored procedures OR, NOT, SELECT DISTINCT, OUTER JOIN, and subqueries in SELECT. - Supports tables up to 2TB (up from 256GB). - Has column store index enhancements for sorting and Always On Availability Group support. - New security features: - **Always Encrypted:** When enabled, only the application that has the encryption key can access the encrypted sensitive data in the SQL Server 2016 database. The key is never passed to SQL Server. - **Dynamic Data Masking:** If specified in the table definition, masked data is hidden from most users, and only users with UNMASK permission can see the complete data. - **Row Level Security:** Data access can be restricted at the database engine level, so users see only what is relevant to them. See [Database Engine](../database-engine/configure-windows/what-s-new-in-sql-server-2016-database-engine.md). ## SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services (SSAS) SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services provides improved performance, authoring, database management, filtering, processing, and much more for tabular model databases based on the **1200 compatibility level**. - **[SQL Server R Services](../advanced-analytics/r-services/what-s-new-in-sql-server-r-services.md)** integrate the R programming language, used for statistical analysis, into SQL Server. - New **Database Consistency Checker (DBCC)** runs internally to detect potential data corruption issues. - **Direct Query**, which queries live external data rather than importing it first, now supports more data sources, including Azure SQL, Oracle and Teradata. - There are numerous new **DAX (Data Access Expressions) functions**. - New **[Microsoft.AnalysisServices.Tabular](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/microsoft.analysisservices.tabular.aspx)** namespace manages tabular mode instances and models. - [Analysis Services Management Objects (AMO)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/mt436122.aspx) is re-factored to include a second assembly, **Microsoft.AnalysisServices.Core.dll**. See [Analysis Services Engine (SSAS)](../analysis-services/what-s-new-in-analysis-services.md). ## SQL Server 2016 Integration Services (SSIS) - Support for **Always On Availability Groups** - **Incremental package deployment** - **Always Encrypted** support - New **ssis_logreader** database-level role - New **custom logging level** - **Column names for errors** in the data flow - New **connectors** - Support for the **Hadoop file system (HDFS)** See [Integration Services (SSIS)](../integration-services/what-s-new-in-integration-services-in-sql-server-2016.md). ## SQL Server 2016 Master Data Services (MDS) - **Derived hierarchy improvements**, including support for recursive and many-to-many hierarchies - **Domain-based attribute** filtering - **Entity syncing** for sharing entity data between models - Approval workflows via **changesets** - **Custom indexes** to improve query performance - New **permission levels** for improved security - Redesigned **business rules management** experience See [Master Data Services (MDS)](../master-data-services/what-s-new-in-master-data-services-mds.md). ## SQL Server 2016 Reporting Services (SSRS) Microsoft has thoroughly revamped Reporting Services in this release. - New **web Report Portal** with KPI feature - New **Mobile Report Publisher** - **Redesigned report rendering engine** that supports HTML5 - New treemap and sunburst **chart types** See [Reporting Services (SSRS)](../reporting-services/what-s-new-in-sql-server-reporting-services-ssrs.md). ## Next steps - [SQL Server setup](../database-engine/install-windows/installation-for-sql-server-2016.md) - [SQL Server 2016 Release Notes](../sql-server/sql-server-2016-release-notes.md) - [SQL Server 2016 datasheet](http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/5/3/C53C3AEF-653C-4598-8721-D522E8AC6A3A/SQL_Server_2016_Everything_Built-In_Datasheet_EN_US.pdf) - [Features supported by Editions of SQL Server](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/cc645993.aspx) - [Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2016](../sql-server/install/hardware-and-software-requirements-for-installing-sql-server.md) - [Install SQL Server 2016 from the Installation Wizard](../database-engine/install-windows/install-sql-server-from-the-installation-wizard-setup.md) - [Setup and Servicing Installation](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/6df72a78-6b36-4bc1-948e-04b4ebe46094) - [New SQL PowerShell module](https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2016/06/30/sql-powershell-july-2016-update/) [!INCLUDE[get-help-options](../includes/paragraph-content/get-help-options.md)] [!INCLUDE[contribute-to-content](../includes/paragraph-content/contribute-to-content.md)]