Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2016 RC3 -- Redmondmag.com

Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2016 RC3

By Chris Paoli
04/19/2016

In a blog posted on Friday, Microsoft announced that the final release candidate for SQL Server 2016 is now available.

The company said that, along with being the fourth publicly released version, it will be the last time for shops to evaluate and test the latest SQL Server version before it hits general availability in the coming months.

"Our SQL Server Release Candidates represent important milestones in the release of SQL Server 2016, as the product is now essentially feature complete, and means that a very rich set of capabilities is now available," wrote Microsoft in the announcement on the SQL Server Blog home page. "These include real-time operational analytics, rich visualizations on mobile devices, built-in advanced analytics, new advanced security technologies and new hybrid scenarios that allow you to securely stretch data to the cloud."

The current version, released late last week, included no new features. Instead, Microsoft is treating RC3 as a tune-up to SQL Server 2016 on its way to final release. "The improvements in SQL Server 2016 Release Candidate 3 (RC3) primarily consist of bug fixes and other work to increase the stability and reliability of SQL Server 2016," wrote Microsoft in the release documentation. "We continue to refine the product for general availability."

SQL Server 2016 RC3 comes just weeks after the company announced and released RC2 at the beginning of the month during its Build 2016 conference in San Francisco. That version included row-level security, Stretch Database capabilities and support for the open source R statistical computing programming language, which is included due to last year's acquisition of Revolution Analytics.

Microsoft has not indicated what features, if any, will be included in the general availability version compared to this final release candidate. SQL Server 2016 RC3 can be downloaded here for an evaluation period of 180 days.

About the Author

Chris Paoli (@ChrisPaoli5) is the associate editor for Converge360.

Featured

Using Configuration Files to Control PowerShell Scripts, Part 2: Building Blocks

Learn how to use PowerShell's GUI capabilities to dynamically create configuration files that enhance script flexibility and usability.
U.S. House Leaders Unveil Bipartisan Strategy for AI Governance and Innovation

On Tuesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries received the final report from the bipartisan House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, which outlines essential principles and recommendations to bolster American leadership in AI.
Using Configuration Files to Control PowerShell Scripts, Part 1: The Basics

Learn how to use JSON configuration files to make PowerShell scripts more dynamic, flexible and user-friendly.
Exchange Online Receiving Enhanced Message Trace

Microsoft has announced the public preview of its enhanced Message Trace feature in the Exchange admin center (EAC) for Exchange Online.
Major Microsoft Multifactor Authentication Vulnerability Revealed

A vulnerability in Microsoft’s multifactor authentication (MFA) system has been uncovered by cybersecurity firm Oasis Security, allowing attackers to bypass security measures and access sensitive data across services including Outlook, OneDrive, Teams and Azure.