SQL Server 2017 Enterprise

Introduction

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise: Empowering Enterprises with High-Performance Data Management

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise is a powerful and comprehensive relational database management system (RDBMS) designed to meet the demanding data management needs of large-scale enterprises. With its advanced features and capabilities, SQL Server 2017 Enterprise enables organizations to store, retrieve, and analyze vast amounts of data efficiently and securely.

Key Features of SQL Server 2017 Enterprise

High Performance and Scalability

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise delivers exceptional performance and scalability, allowing enterprises to handle massive data workloads. The following features and capabilities contribute to high performance and scalability:

In-Memory OLTP

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise includes In-Memory OLTP, a revolutionary feature that leverages memory-optimized tables and natively compiled stored procedures. By storing and processing data in memory, In-Memory OLTP significantly improves transactional performance, enabling faster data processing and improved response times.

Columnstore Indexes

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise introduces Columnstore Indexes, a powerful technology that organizes data by columns instead of rows. This columnar storage format provides dramatic improvements in query performance, especially for data warehousing and analytical workloads. Columnstore Indexes enhance compression and data scanning, resulting in faster and more efficient data retrieval.

Enhanced Query Processing

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise incorporates advanced query processing techniques to optimize query performance. The Query Optimizer analyzes queries and generates optimal execution plans, taking advantage of index statistics, parallelism, and other optimization strategies. Enhanced Query Processing helps improve query performance and overall database throughput.

Advanced Security and Compliance

Security and compliance are critical aspects of enterprise data management. SQL Server 2017 Enterprise offers advanced security features to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Always Encrypted

Always Encrypted is a powerful security feature that enables the encryption of data both at rest and in transit. With Always Encrypted, sensitive data remains encrypted throughout the entire data lifecycle, ensuring protection against unauthorized access.

Dynamic Data Masking

Dynamic Data Masking allows you to define masking rules for sensitive data, ensuring that unauthorized users only see masked or obfuscated values. This feature provides an additional layer of data protection and helps organizations comply with privacy regulations.

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) encrypts the entire database, protecting it from unauthorized access in case of physical theft or unauthorized access to database files. TDE ensures that data remains encrypted at rest, adding an extra layer of security to your enterprise data.

Auditing and Compliance

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise includes comprehensive auditing capabilities to track and monitor database activities. Auditing allows organizations to comply with regulatory requirements and internal policies by capturing and analyzing audit logs.

Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise provides robust business intelligence and advanced analytics capabilities, empowering organizations to derive valuable insights from their data.

Integration Services (SSIS)

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a powerful ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tool that enables data integration and workflow management. With SSIS, you can extract data from various sources, transform it as per business requirements, and load it into SQL Server for further analysis.

Analysis Services (SSAS)

SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) allows you to build multidimensional and tabular models to support sophisticated analysis and reporting. SSAS enables OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) capabilities, providing fast and interactive data exploration and multidimensional data analysis.

Reporting Services (SSRS)

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) enables the creation and delivery of interactive, visually appealing reports. SSRS allows you to design, publish, and manage reports, providing valuable insights to stakeholders across your organization.

Machine Learning Services (R and Python)

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise integrates with popular machine learning languages R and Python, allowing data scientists and analysts to perform advanced analytics directly within the database engine. By leveraging the power of R and Python, organizations can develop and deploy advanced analytics models to gain valuable insights from their data.

High Availability and Disaster Recovery

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise offers robust high availability and disaster recovery features to ensure data availability and minimize downtime.

AlwaysOn Availability Groups

AlwaysOn Availability Groups provide a high-availability and disaster recovery solution that allows you to create groups of databases that fail over together. This feature ensures that critical databases remain available and accessible in case of hardware or software failures.

Failover Clustering

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise supports Failover Clustering, a feature that provides high availability by enabling multiple SQL Server instances to run on different cluster nodes. In the event of a node failure, SQL Server automatically fails over to another node, ensuring continuous service availability.

Database Mirroring

Database Mirroring is another high-availability solution provided by SQL Server 2017 Enterprise. It enables the creation of a warm standby database on a separate server, ready to take over in the event of a primary server failure.

Log Shipping

Log Shipping allows you to automatically send transaction log backups from a primary database to one or more secondary databases. This feature provides a warm standby solution, ensuring that secondary databases are continuously updated and ready for failover.

System Requirements

To ensure optimal performance and compatibility, your system must meet the following minimum requirements for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise:

Hardware Requirements

– Processor: 2 GHz or faster, 4 cores or more
– Memory: 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
– Hard Disk Space: 6 GB of available hard disk space
– Display: Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor

Software Requirements

– Operating System: Windows Server 2012 or later
– .NET Framework: .NET Framework 4.6 or later
– Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer 9 or later
Please note that these are general system requirements, and specific hardware and software considerations may apply based on your workload and usage patterns. It’s recommended to review the official Microsoft documentation for detailed and up-to-date system requirements.

Installation and Setup

Installing SQL Server 2017 Enterprise is a straightforward process. You can follow these steps to set up your database environment:

Obtain the installation media or download the installer from the official Microsoft website.
Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to initiate the installation process.
Select the appropriate installation options and specify the installation directory.
Configure the database engine, instance, and security settings according to your requirements.
Choose the necessary features and components you want to install.
Complete the installation process and verify the successful installation of SQL Server 2017 Enterprise.

Pricing and Licensing

SQL Server 2017 Enterprise is available for purchase under various licensing models, including per-core licensing and server/CAL (Client Access License) licensing. The pricing may vary based on the selected licensing model, the number of cores or CALs required, and additional features or subscriptions. It’s best to consult with Microsoft or authorized resellers for accurate pricing details based on your specific requirements.

Support and Updates

Microsoft provides comprehensive support for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise, including documentation, knowledge bases, and online resources. Users can access software updates, security patches, and new feature releases to ensure their database environment is up-to-date and optimized. It’s recommended to regularly check for updates and leverage support resources to maximize the benefits of SQL Server 2017 Enterprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the system requirements for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise?
A: The system requirements for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise include a minimum 2 GHz or faster processor with at least 4 cores, 4 GB of RAM (8 GB or more recommended), 6 GB of available hard disk space, and a Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor. The server requires an operating system such as Windows Server 2012 or later, and additional software components like .NET Framework 4.6 or later and Internet Explorer 9 or later.

Q: What are the key features of SQL Server 2017 Enterprise?
A: SQL Server 2017 Enterprise offers key features such as high performance and scalability, advanced security and compliance, business intelligence and advanced analytics capabilities, and high availability and disaster recovery options.

Q: How much does SQL Server 2017 Enterprise cost?
A: The cost of SQL Server 2017 Enterprise varies based on factors such as the licensing model (per-core or server/CAL), the number of cores or CALs required, and any additional features or subscriptions. It’s recommended to consult with Microsoft or authorized resellers for accurate pricing details based on your specific requirements.

Q: Can SQL Server 2017 Enterprise be used for business intelligence and advanced analytics?
A: Yes, SQL Server 2017 Enterprise provides robust business intelligence and advanced analytics capabilities. With features like Integration Services (SSIS), Analysis Services (SSAS), and Reporting Services (SSRS), organizations can perform data integration, multidimensional analysis, and report generation to gain valuable insights from their data.

Q: What high availability options are available in SQL Server 2017 Enterprise?
A: SQL Server 2017 Enterprise offers high availability options such as AlwaysOn Availability Groups, Failover Clustering, Database Mirroring, and Log Shipping. These features provide failover capabilities and help ensure continuous database availability in case of hardware or software failures.