SQL Server 2012 Released to Manufacturing, Sets Performance Records, Offers Increased ROI

  • Article

sql_logoMicrosoft SQL Server 2012 has been released to manufacturing. SQL Server 2012 helps address challenges of increasing data volumes by rapidly turning data into actionable business insights.

Microsoft’s modern data platform SQL Server 2012 is launching today. Evaluations is now available (as of March 9) and general availability starting April 1.

Thousands of customers have evaluated SQL Server 2012 and are using it to manage any data, any size, anywhere.

Microsoft’s data platform enables customers to unlock simple, actionable insights from their most complex data.

  • Demonstrating proven capabilities – Hundreds of global, industry-leading customers such as Volvo Car Corporation, Revlon, the Home Shopping Network, Sanofi Pasteur, Klout, and LG Chemical are deploying SQL Server 2012 to manage and analyze data of all sizes and types.
  • Setting new performance records – Microsoft and partners also announced today that SQL Server 2012 has demonstrated several new performance benchmarks through partner- and Microsoft-led testing that underscore SQL Server’s ability to scale across the enterprise.
  • Highlighting increased ROI – Microsoft has released results from a new Forrester Consulting commissioned Total Economic Impact (TEI) study on the potential benefits of upgrading to SQL Server 2012. The study reports a potential Return on Investment (ROI) of up to 189 percent with a 12-month payback period.

Key Features for ISVs, Developers

SQL Server 2012 delivers a powerful new set of capabilities for mission-critical workloads, business intelligence and hybrid IT across traditional datacenters and private and public clouds.

Highlighted new features include:

  • Power View (formerly Project “Crescent,”)
  • SQL Server Data Tools (formerly “Juneau”) expand the self-service BI capabilities delivered with PowerPivot.
  • An integrated development environment for SQL Server developers.
  • The new ColumnStore Index delivers over 10x data warehouse performance gains.

SQL Platform Unlocks Your Data

The world of data is changing in three significant ways.

First, there’s an ocean of unruly data out there, and it’s getting bigger all the time. Some estimates indicate that a business’s information stores double in size every year. Gartner, for example, sees information volume growing worldwide at a minimum annual rate of 59%, with roughly 85% of that as “unstructured” – data such as video clips, RFID tags, and web site logs. This unstructured data is not readily suited for traditional data management systems.

Second, as commodity hardware has become more affordable, organizations are saving all their data.  But much of this data is still meaningless unless organizations have the tools to pull insights from it. 

Third, all these changes are creating massive innovation and opportunity for businesses around the world.

So how can your customers keep up with the evolving world of data? To make data work for them, they need a modern data platform that can also evolve with the needs of their business. 

Microsoft’s modern data platform, SQL Server 2012 provides the tools to enable customers to unlock actionable insights from their data; any data, any size, anywhere.  Because at the end of the day, that’s really what big data is about—insights.

Parallel Data Warehouse

To help customers more cost-effectively manage their enterprise-scale workloads, Microsoft will release several new data warehousing solutions in conjunction with the general availability of SQL Server 2012, slated to begin April 1. This includes a major software update and new half-rack form factors for Microsoft Parallel Data Warehouse appliances, as well as availability of SQL Server Fast Track Data Warehouse reference architectures for SQL Server 2012.

Virtual Launch Event

Join us tomorrow at 8 am Pacific Time(11 am Eastern) for the SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event online event will allow you to immerse yourself in the exciting New World of Data with SQL Server 2012. Engage not only Microsoft product teams, but with our partners and our most ground breaking customers. SQL Server 2012 is part of the broadest Data Platforms in technology today. Discover how it enables mission critical confidence, blazing fast performance, and stunning interactive data visualizations.

Register at SQL Server Launch.

Getting Started with SQL Server 2012

Get SQL Server 2012. The RC0 is available no. RTM version available through the regular channels on April 1.

See SQL Server 2012 Overview.

If you application works under SQL Server 2008 R2, it will probably work well under SQL Server 2012. But there have been a few breaking changes. Learn more at Guide for How to Test Your Application for Compatibility with SQL Server 2012.

The SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Kit includes technical content designed to help you learn how to develop SQL Server 2012 database and BI solutions.

SQL Server 2012 Virtual Labs enable you to quickly evaluate and test Microsoft's newest products and technologies through a series of guided, hands-on labs that you can complete in 90 minutes or less. There is no complex setup or installation required, and you can use Virtual Labs online immediately, free.

For More Information

See: SQL Server blog and STB News Bytes .

 

Bruce D. KyleISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation

image