Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2016: Mission-Critical Applications, Deeper Insights, Hyperscale Cloud, Preview 2

by Stacia Varga, Denny Cherry, Joseph D'Antoni

Overview

With Microsoft SQL Server 2016, a variety of new features and enhancements to the data platform deliver breakthrough performance, advanced security, and richer, integrated reporting and analytics capabilities. In this Preview 2 ebook, we introduce three new security features: Always Encrypted, Row-Level Security, and dynamic data masking; discuss enhancements that enable you to better manage performance and storage: TempDB configuration, query store, and Stretch Database; review several improvements to Reporting Services; and also describe AlwaysOn Availability Groups, tabular enhancement, and R integration. This book is a preview edition because it’s not complete; the final edition will be available Spring of 2016.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509301942
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	11/23/2015
Series:	Introducing
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	65
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Stacia Varga is a consultant, educator, mentor, and author specializing in business intelligence and performance management solutions using Microsoft technologies. She has over 25 years of experience with improving business practices through technology. Her exclusive focus has been on business intelligence since 1999. Also, she is a co-author of various editions of the free ebook "Introducing Microsoft SQL Server," published by Microsoft Press. 
Denny Cherry is an expert in the design and administration of Microsoft SQL Server (6.5-2014) database solutions at both the hardware and software levels of the design process. On the software side he has expert-level knowledge of a wide variety of Microsoft software, including Microsoft SQL Server (6.5-2014), Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Server (7-2014), Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services (2005-2014), Microsoft SQL Server Replication (7-2014), Microsoft Windows Server (NT4 - 2012 R2), Microsoft Cluster Services (2000-2012 R2), and Microsoft Load Balancing Services (2000-2012 R2).
Joseph D'Antoni is a Senior Consultant and SQL Server MVP with over a decade of experience working in both Fortune 500 and smaller firms. He is a Principal Consultant for Denny Cherry and Associates and lives in Malvern, PA. He is a frequent speaker at major tech events, and blogger about all topics technology. He believes that no single platform is the answer to all technology problems. He holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from Louisiana Tech University and an MBA from North Carolina State University, and is the co-author of the Microsoft white paper "Using Power BI in a Hybrid Environment.”

Table of Contents

Chapter 2: Better security     1
Always Encrypted     1
Getting started with Always Encrypted     1
Creating a table with encrypted values     7
CREATE TABLE statement for encrypted columns     7
Migrating existing tables to Always Encrypted     9
Row-Level Security     11
Creating inline table functions     11
Creating security policies     14
Using block predicates     15
Dynamic data masking     15
Dynamic data masking of a new table     16
Dynamic data masking of an existing table     16
Understanding dynamic data masking and permissions     17
Masking encrypted values     18
Using dynamic data masking in SQL Database     18
Chapter 3: Higher availability     20
AlwaysOn Availability Groups     20
Supporting disaster recovery with basic availability groups     21
Using group Managed Service Accounts     23
Triggering failover at the database level     23
Supporting distributed transactions     24
Scaling out read workloads     25
Defining automatic failover targets     26
Reviewing the improved log transport performance     27
Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview high-availability enhancements     28
Creating workgroup clusters     29
Configuring a cloud witness     30
Using Storage Spaces Direct     32
Introducing site-aware failover clusters     33
Windows Server Failover Cluster logging     33
Performing rolling cluster operating system upgrades     33
Chapter 4: Improved database engine     35
TempDB enhancements     35
Configuring data files for TempDB     36
Eliminating specific trace flags     37
Query Store     38
Enabling Query Store     38
Understanding Query Store components     39
Reviewing information in the query store     40
Using Force Plan     42
Managing the query store     43
Tuning with the query store     44
Stretch Database     44
Understanding Stretch Database architecture     45
Security and Stretch Database     45
Identifying tables for Stretch Database     46
Configuring Stretch Database     47
Monitoring Stretch Database     48
Backup and recovery with Stretch Database     49
Chapter 6: More analytics     50
Tabular enhancements     50
Accessing more data sources with DirectQuery     51
Modeling with a DirectQuery source     51
Working with calculated tables     54
Bidirectional cross-filtering     56
Writing formulas     60
Introducing new DAX functions     60
Using variables in DAX     63
R integration     64
Installing and configuring R Services     64
Getting started with R Services     65
Using an R Model in SQL Server     74
Chapter 7: Better reporting     77
Report content types     77
Paginated report development enhancements     77
Introducing changes to paginated report authoring tools     78
Exploring new data visualizations     79
Managing parameter layout in paginated reports     84
Mobile report development     85
KPI development     85
Report access enhancements     86
Accessing reports with modern browsers     86
Viewing reports on mobile devices     88
Printing without ActiveX     88
Exporting to PowerPoint     90
Pinning reports to Power BI     92
Managing subscriptions     93
About the authors     96