Microsoft SQL Version History

In this tutorial, we will discuss the past and present versions of SQL.Let’s start!!!

What is SQL and its Origin?

SQL, or what we know as Structured Query Language, is the most popular language being utilized to perform CRUD operations on the databases. It has been in use since the late ’90s and is expanding with no limits.

SQL was founded as an idea of two researchers at IBM in 1970 after they got their hands on a research paper by Edgar. His work was focusing on databases.

It was the first time that someone referred to the data storing capacity of the database as relations. From here, the basic idea of SQL was born.

Previously called SEQUEL and was meant to perform basic operations on System R of IBM.

After years, SQL was put to open source to allow everyone to implement it successfully.

In 1979 a company called Relational Software, which later became Oracle released their version of SQL which was initially known as Oracle V2.

After sometime SQL was made the primary language for RDBMS. The maintenance and monitoring of SQL come under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization.

They keep a check on the standards of SQL, i.e all the versions coming up follow the standards and the rule specifications.

Version History of SQL

Below we have the versions of SQL Server right from the start in order.

SQL Server 2012:

This version of SQL focused on enhancing dynamic working. In the 2012 version, the performance improvements were done.

ColumnStore Indexes improvements were also made in the OnLine and partition level operations. Security enhancements like provisioning during the setup and new permission assignments.

The version also led to improved role management and the default schema assignment for groups.

SQL Server 2014:

This version brought in the memory capacity to handle all the contents in the disk only. For the disk-based SQL applications, it brought in the usage of the SSD Buffer Pool Extension.

This further improves the performance by accessing the cache between the RAM and the spinning media.

SQL Server 2016:

This version was upgraded and was better at handling the memory.

SQL 2016 version is supported on the x64 processors only and is no longer supported on the x86 processors.

SQL Server 2017:

This version brought in support for the Linux operating system making it globally applicable.

SQL Server 2019:

This SQL version brought in Big Data Clusters for server use. It also provides additional capability and improvements for the SQL Server.

Various services were also introduced in this version.

Some of the important services which were introduced are as follows:

• SQL Server Analysis Services
• Server Machine Learning Services in SQL
• SQL Server on Linux
• SQL Server Master Data Services

Summary

In this tutorial, we have found all about the creation and development of SQL from scratch. When we dive deep, we find that SQL was born out of research work.

This later became the standard language of communication for Relational Databases.

At present, we have a variety of SQL versions available around us.

To keep those versions in check, we have a standardization authority that maintains and keeps a check on the standards and the rules which any SQL version needs to follow.