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Oct 14 2014
Software

Microsoft SQL 2014 Updates Keep End Users Happy

Easier to use than previous versions, SQL 2014 puts users on the path to do-it-yourself business intelligence.
John Breeden II
by

John Breeden II is an award-winning reviewer with more than 20 years of experience covering technology. Follow him on Twitter @TheLabGuys.

Most educational ­environments rely heavily on databases, although the users who access them are probably more concerned with their front-end applications, which can be anything from a student class enrollment system to a card reader in the cafeteria. Microsoft has concentrated improvements to its 2014 release of SQL Server around features designed to make those applications run more smoothly, and with greater security.

The SQL Server relational database management system received several feature upgrades two years ago. The latest version emphasizes performance and usability.

By far the greatest update is the addition of in-memory online transaction processing (OLTP), which comes in the form of a new technology called Hekaton.

Unlike most other in-memory technologies, Hekaton users aren't forced to load entire databases into memory, which may require a huge footprint. Instead, only certain tables, algorithms and functions are optimized for memory-resident use. Logical locks, which can take up thousands of computing cycles, also are eliminated in favor of low-level Hekaton interlocks, which take up about 20 cycles each. All tables and procedures are translated in the lightning-quick C language before compiling into assembly dynamic link libraries, reducing the number of instructions to be executed.

In tests with a database running under SQL Server 2012, the same queries running optimized for 2014 using OLTP were 13 times faster on average, with a few being as much as 41 times faster. Purchase of the Enterprise edition of SQL Server 2014 is required to use OLTP. The Standard edition doesn't support those features.

Users can tap Azure SQL cloud to create automatic backups of all databases running in the enterprise, and create hybrid clouds with data stored locally as well as some backed up fully to the cloud. With the local backup option, Active Secondary can contribute to read operations, stretching out limited resources while providing a valid backup. SQL server also sends data to Azure's Blob cloud storage area, automatically picking the best times to do so. All data can be encrypted using Advanced Encryption Standard 256 or Triple Data Encryption Standard algorithms, a must for cloud storage.

Any organization running an older version of SQL Server, or those running a different relational database management system entirely should check out the 2014 upgrade. Incredible performance gains, even for existing databases, alongside easier, secure cloud backups make the move an easy decision.

Microsoft SQL Server 2014

PROCESSOR: x86, 1GHz (minimum); x64, 1.4GHz (minimum); 2GHz or faster recommended
RAM: 1GB (Express); 4GB recommended for other editions
DISK: 6GB (minimum)
OS: Standard edition, Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit) with SP1; Windows 8, 8.1; Windows Server 2008 SP2 or R2 SP1; Windows Server 2012 and R2

Do-It-Yourself BI

Many Microsoft SQL Server 2014 improvements are designed to speed up database queries as well as protect the integrity of the data even as it's backed up to the cloud; however, those moves alone wouldn't satisfy the needs of end users (likely not database admins or programmers), who must make sense of all the data.

To help those users, who are the majority in educational environments, Microsoft has more tightly integrated SQL server with Office 365. Excel is the main component in the new arsenal, although SharePoint also has many integrated features. The main programs tying it all together are Power Query, Power Pivot and Power View. When used with SQL Server 2014, there is a constant push and pull that happens, which gives authorized users access to the data without any risk that it will be overwritten or otherwise compromised by nonprogrammers. It also allows for deep data analysis and the creation of charts and interactive graphs that can be shared with users who are even more removed from the process of interacting with the database — all without the involvement of critical IT staff.

Power Query — formerly called Data Explorer in Excel — lets end users search and access data stored within SQL Server while using the standard Excel interface. Once data is located, Power Pivot takes it and enables the creation of some pretty amazing visual models that are well suited to the educational environment. Power Map is similar to Power Pivot, but allows for 3D visualization of data against a map for geographic analysis and comparisons over time.

Most of the reports that are generated formerly required Microsoft Silverlight for end users to view them, restricting the type of devices that could be used. These programs can now output data in HTML5, opening it up to being viewed and used on almost any mobile device, even those running Android or iOS.

All of these features point to do-it-yourself business intelligence. Many interesting and potentially game-changing information and correlations could be hidden in plain sight within databases. It just takes someone to ask the right questions and send the right queries to begin comparing that information to some other element such as geography, socioeconomic data or changes over time for such secrets to be revealed. The updates to SQL Server 2014, especially in the areas of in-memory processing and cloud integration, make such deep queries possible within a reasonable amount of time. The ease of use found in Office 365 and the ability to share information with any device make the new SQL Server even more functional than the 2012 release, regardless of an end user's overall skill set.

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