Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 4

Microsoft today announced that the final service pack for SQL Server 2012 is now available for download.

The latest official release for the half-decade-old version of Microsoft's database management system includes a rollup of all hotfixes released over the years and focuses on scalability and performance improvements, especially on newer hardware. 

The final service pack also includes:

• Enhancements to dynamic management views (DMV), extended events, and query plans to provide additional monitoring capabilities.
• Consistency check performance improvements.
• Increased diagnostic tools in showplan XML.
• Resource Governor query hints, which Microsoft said will provide increased granular control.
• Performance improvements when accessing XEL files in the XEvent Linq reader.
• Database cloning, which will copy the schema and metadata (without the actual data) for troubleshooting.
• Spatial queries performance improvements.

Big Announcements in SQL Server 2016

As of SQL Server 2016 SP1, which was shipped this month, from a programmability perspective there is no difference between the editions anymore. All programmability features will be available in all editions from LocalDB to Enterprise edition.

Read more at http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/sql-server/big-announcements-in-sql-server-2016/

SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 1 (SP1) released

Microsoft has announced the availability of SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 1 (SP1). With SQL Server 2016 SP1 key improvements were made allowing a consistent programmability surface area for developers and organizations across SQL Server editions.

2. Now express edition has the lot of features where it was limited to enterprise before. Partitioning, Compression ad In Memory OLTP will be available now for Standard and Express as well.




2. DBCC CLONEDATABASE is added which was missing in SQL Server 2016 RTM and was with SQL Server 2014.

3. Tempdb supportability – A new Errorlog message indicating the number of tempdb files and notifying different size/autogrowth of tempdb data files at server startup.

4, DROP TABLE support for replication – DROP TABLE DDL support for replication to allow replication articles to be dropped.

For all the details, please refer to https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlreleaseservices/sql-server-2016-service-pack-1-sp1-released/

Microsoft Releases New Version of SP1 for SQL Server 2014

The much-troubled Service Pack 1 for SQL Server 2014 has its latest revision, and allegedly resolves significant problems that made SQL stop working for numerous customers.

The service pack originally was originally released last month, but Microsoft pulled it on that same month because of an installation problem. The updated SP1 (build 12.0.4100.1) is now available at this download page, dated 5/14/2015.

More at https://virtualizationreview.com/articles/2015/05/18/microsoft-releases-new-version-of-sp1-for-sql-server-2014.aspx

Microsoft Halts SQL Server 2014 SP1 Downloads

 

A bug surfaces soon after the release of SQL Server 2014's first service pack, forcing Microsoft to temporarily disable downloads of the update.

Microsoft's attempt at squashing SQL Server 2014 bugs ran into a bug of its own.

The company released SQL Server Service Pack 1 (SP1) on the April 15 anniversary of the database software's launch. Today, Microsoft is hitting the pause button after a discovering an issue.

"The SQL SSIS team has found an issue with SP1 installation if SSIS.

http://www.eweek.com/database/microsoft-halts-sql-server-2014-sp1-downloads.html

SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 1 is now available

One year ago, Satya Nadella spoke in San Francisco to launch SQL Server 2014.  Today, Microsoft has to announced the release of SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 1 (SP1). The Service Pack is available for download on the Microsoft Download Center. As part of our continued commitment to software excellence for their customers, this upgrade is available to all customers with existing SQL Server 2014 deployments.

Read more at http://blogs.technet.com/b/dataplatforminsider/archive/2015/04/15/sql-server-2014-service-pack-1-is-now-available.aspx

Microsoft SQL Server 2012, 2008R2, 2008, 2005, 2000 and 7.0 Builds

If you are not sure what you have installed, by looking at the version number you can get that information,

more details at http://www.sqlserverbuilds.blogspot.com/

SQL Server 2012 SP1 is released

The latest SP1 has many new and enhanced features.

Few are following,

Selective XML Index
DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS works with SELECT permission
New function returns statistics properties - sys.dm_db_stats_properties

 

Download 1GB (!!!) size of SP1 from here.

SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Released

Customers are highly encouraged to stay on a supported service pack to ensure they are on the latest and most secure version of SQL Server 2008 R2.  To obtain SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 with its improved security and supportability please visit the links below:

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Feature Pack

SQL Server 2012 CU 1 Released

SQL Server 2012 Cumulative Update 1 contains fixes released in SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 CU 3 and 4. For customers upgrading to SQL Server 2012 from SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 CU3 (Build 10.50.2789.00) or CU4 (Build 10.50.2796.0) should consider applying SQL Server 2012 CU 1 to ensure fixes resident on the system are available post upgrade.

• CU#1 KB Article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2679368
• SQL Server Support Information: http://support.microsoft.com/ph/2855

SQL Server 2012 RTM Cumulative Update 1

Microsoft has announced the release of SQL Server 2012 RTM Cumulative Update 1. SQL Server 2012 RTM Cumulative Update 1 incorporates 92 issues reported by 44 unique customers.

 

Successful release of Cumulative Update 1 is a testament to the commitment of the many teams within the SQL BU, who are finding solutions to provide a better customer experience.   The coordination, determination and execution between all the SQL BU teams was instrumental in continuing the SQL Sustained Engineering team’s long standing track record for on time release of Cumulative Updates.

The associated cumulative KB article has also been published.  Customers are directed to contact CSS to get the CU build or obtain the hotfix package through the new self-service feature by clicking on the “Hotfix Download Available” button found at the top of the KB article.

·        Public KB Article

·        Hotfix Download Location

·        SQL Server 2012 RTM CU1 Fix List

·        CU Website

SQL Server 2008 SP3 is now available!

Microsoft SQL Server Sustained Engineering group is pleased to announce the release of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 3 (SP3). Both the Service Pack and Feature Pack updates are available for download on the Microsoft Download Center. As part of our continued commitment to software excellence for our customers, this upgrade is free and doesn’t require an additional service contract.

Download it from here

SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Released

SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 release was not much highlighted since Denali CTP3 is making all the headlines.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 delivers hotfix solutions from SQL Server 2008 CU 1 to CU 6 in addition to resolving to customer requests with key security and supportability issues. SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 has also seen 8% less bugs requiring resolution within the Service Pack scope when compared with SQL Server 2008 SP1.

Related Links:

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Express

·        Download SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Feature Packs

·        Knowledge Base Article for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 RTM

Service Pack 4 (SP4) for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 is now available for download. SQL Server 2005 service packs are cumulative, and this service pack upgrades all service levels of SQL Server 2005 to SP4 .

SQL Server 2005 SP4 includes SQL Server 2005 SP3 cumulative update 1 to 11, customer requested fixes, along with instances of the SQL Server 2005 SP4 database Engine support for DAC operations.

For a list of the bugs that are fixed in SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 (SP4), see KB article 2463332. No new features or major changes were added to SP4.

SQL Server Management Service (SSMS) of 2008 R2 is crashing when editing steps in SQL Server Agent Jobs

SQL Server Management Service (SSMS) of 2008 R2 is crashing when editing steps in SQL Server Agent Jobs
When editing/viewing steps in SQL Server Agent Jobs in SQL Server 2008 R2, SOMETIMES SSMS crashes with following error message.

------------------------------

Creating an instance of the COM component with CLSID {AA40D1D6-CAEF-4A56-B9BB-D0D3DC976BA2} from the IClassFactory failed due to the following error: c001f011. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ManagedDTS)

------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Creating an instance of the COM component with CLSID {AA40D1D6-CAEF-4A56-B9BB-D0D3DC976BA2} from the IClassFactory failed due to the following error: c001f011. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ManagedDTS)

------------------------------
BUTTONS:

OK
------------------------------


http://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/557402/ssms-can-no-longer-create-or-edit-job-steps



Temporary work round would be to close SSMS and start it again. However, this is bug exists with SQL Server 2008 R2 and you need to install CU3 for this. When the service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2 is released you can use that service pack to resolve the issue.

CUs Released

Microsoft has released SQL Server 2008 SP1 CU8 (Build 2775). There are 18 fixes in this cumulative update, and most of them are for Reporting Services and Analysis Services.

Microsoft released SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM CU1. It is Build 1702, and it contains 76 fixes.

Vote for Service Packs

Service Pack 4 for SQL Server 2005 is due about now, but there has been no word from Microsoft. If you are running servers on SQL Server 2005, vote for Service Pack 4. Also, vote for Server Pack 2 and demand the level of support and service we deserve for our platform. Vote here:

• Service Pack 4 for SQL Server 2005
• Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 SP1 Download Available

You can download SQL 2008 SP1 here.  If you get a 404 error, come back and try it again.  Seems that the download servers aren’t all synced up.

The April 2009 update to the SQL Server 2008 Feature Packs is also available today. In this release few bugs were fixed.

Cumulative Update 3 For SQL Server 2008 is Released

Microsoft has released Cumulative Update 3 For SQL Server 2008. The fixes included in Cumulative Update are listed here. You can go here to request the Cumulative Update from Microsoft.

Why Features are Decreased in SP3?

This sounds bit strange for me. Have I missed anything? let me know. This is the scenario.
I have two SQL Server database servers where I have a database with exactly similar schema. This I can assure and I checked this twice if not more. One SQL Server has SP2 applied and SP3 has applied to other. We all expect SP3 to work smarter.
Now I need to Create a view with two table and these two table have a foreign key between them. When I add two tables to the view following image shows the how the behavior in both SP2 and SP3.

In SP2 database server, it shows relation between two relational keys which is the correct way. In the SP3 database server, link has made between the two columns named ID instead of two relational keys. In SP3, I have to drop this wrong relation and then create the right one again.
Both Views were created from one SQL Server Management Studio which drop the issue of version mismatches of SQL Server Management Studio. Only thing I can see is the service packs difference and all the other configurations are same.