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Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2017 Release Candidate 1
Microsoft on Monday announced that the first release candidate for SQL Server 2017 is now available to the public.
After multiple preview builds over the last year, this marks the first time that the latest version of SQL Server is feature complete, and is the final preview step before the product is generally available in its commercial release. The goal of this release candidate is for the public to test out SQL Server 2017 in their environments to identify any potential issues before it is commercially released, set for later this summer.
SQL Server 2017 marks a milestone for the product, as it is the first version to offer support and integration with Linux OS. This includes support for Active Directory Authentication, which will allow the same domain credentials to be authenticated in SQL Server, whether coming from Windows or Linux. SQL on Linux will also allow for data to be encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS) and be transferred between the client and an instance of SQL Server. SQL Server on Linux.
The new version also comes packed with support for containers running on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, which Microsoft is touting as a valuable resource for DevOps, especially for those working with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
"Using containers greatly simplifies the development, testing and deployment of applications," wrote Microsoft's Tony Petrossian, partner group program manager for the database systems group, in a blog post. "This is achieved by the packaging of all dependencies, including SQL Server, into a portable, executable environment that reduces variability and increases the speed of every iteration in the CI/CD pipeline. This also enforces a consistent experience for all participants since they can share the same state of an application in their containers. Developers can improve applications in their local environments during the first part of the Continuous Integration process."
Release candidate 1 features many upgrades and new features not found in previous preview builds, including:
- Enhanced model management capabilities, including External Library Management for Microsoft's database analytics tool R Services.
- Increased database analysis and reporting options through the SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS).
- The inclusion of SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) preview for Linux-based machines and support for SIS scale out in highly available environment on Windows Server.
SQL Server 2017 RC1 can be downloaded here.