SQL database in Fabric (preview) |
November |
SQL database in Microsoft Fabric (preview) uses the same SQL Database Engine as Microsoft SQL Server and is similar to Azure SQL Database. This feature is now in preview. For more information about this new SQL platform, see SQL database in Microsoft Fabric (preview). |
Fabric Mirrored Databases (GA) |
November |
You can now mirror data from Azure SQL Database to Microsoft Fabric. You can continuously replicate your existing data estate directly into Fabric's OneLake. This feature is now generally available. |
Vector data type (preview) |
November |
Working with vector data is now easier in Azure SQL Database with the introduction of a new vector data type and functions. This feature is now in preview. For more information, see Intelligent applications with Azure SQL Database. |
Hyperscale single database increased maximum size |
November |
The maximum single database size in Azure SQL Database Hyperscale has been increased from 100 TB to 128 TB. For more information, see Blog: November 2024 Hyperscale enhancements. |
Hyperscale increased log generation rate (preview) |
November |
The transaction log generation rate in Azure SQL Database Hyperscale single databases is set to increase from 100 MiB/s to 150 MiB/s. The increased log generation rate is available as an opt-in preview feature. This feature is now in preview. For more information and to opt-in to 150 MiB/s, see Blog: November 2024 Hyperscale enhancements. |
Hyperscale continuous priming (preview) |
November |
Continuous priming is an innovative new feature is designed to optimize Hyperscale performance during failovers by priming secondary compute replicas. Continuous priming is currently in a gated preview. This feature is now in preview. For more information and to opt-in to continuous priming, see Blog: November 2024 Hyperscale enhancements. |
Network Security Perimeter (preview) |
November |
Network Security Perimeter secures both inbound and outbound network traffic between Azure SQL Database and other Platform as a Service (PaaS) resources, and attempts made to communicate with Azure resources that aren't inside the perimeter are blocked. This feature is now in preview. |
OBJECT_ID T-SQL syntax (GA) |
November |
The CREATE USER Transact-SQL (T-SQL) syntax has been extended to include WITH OBJECT_ID to support creating Microsoft Entra logins and users in Azure SQL Database that have nonunique names. This feature is now generally available. For more information, see Microsoft Entra nonunique name support. |
Lower auto-pause delay for serverless |
October |
Reduce costs by lowering the auto-pause delay for serverless compute in Azure SQL Database. For more information, see serverless compute tier. |
Cross-subscription geo-replica support in the Azure portal |
September |
You can now use Azure portal to set up active geo-replication across subscriptions, as long as both the subscriptions are in the same Microsoft Entra ID tenant. For more information, see Tutorial: Configure active geo-replication and failover (Azure SQL Database). |
SQL Insights (preview) retirement |
September |
SQL Insights (preview) will be retired on 31 December 2024. We recommend that you transition to database watcher for Azure SQL (preview) or another database monitoring solution by that date. |
Hyperscale elastic pools GA |
September |
Manage and scale multiple Hyperscale databases in Azure SQL Database by using Hyperscale elastic pools. Hyperscale elastic pools also support Premium-series hardware and zone redundancy. This feature is now generally available. For more information, see Hyperscale Elastic Pools are now generally available. |
Hyperscale elastic pool maintenance window support |
September |
You can configure a non-default maintenance window for a Hyperscale elastic pool. For more information, read Blog: Maintenance window support for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale elastic pools. |
Automatic backups on secondary replica GA |
August |
Mitigate the performance impact on your workload by taking automated backups from a non-readable secondary replica in the Business Critical service tier. This feature is generally available. Review Automated backups on secondary replicas to learn more. |
CURRENT_DATE Transact-SQL GA |
August |
The CURRENT_DATE Transact-SQL (T-SQL) function returns the current database system date as a date value, without the database time and time zone offset. This function is now generally available. For more information, see CURRENT_DATE (Transact-SQL). |
Maintenance window support for named replicas GA |
August |
Maintenance window support for named replicas is now generally available. For more information, read Maintenance window support for named replicas. |
Maintenance window support for Hyperscale GA |
August |
Maintenance window support for Hyperscale databases is now generally available. |
Local development experience for Azure SQL Database using Dev Container Templates |
August |
We've provided details and quickstarts to get started with the new local dev experience for Azure SQL Database. Dev Container Templates replace the previous local emulator experience. To get started, see Quickstart: Set up a development environment with Dev Container Templates for Azure SQL Database. |
Resource limits changes |
August |
There are new default vCore limits per region per subscription. Additionally, requests for increasing default DTU limits are now done with vCores. |
Hyperscale support for database and file shrink |
July |
Database and file shrink commands are supported in preview for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale. For more information, see Shrink for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale. |
TLS 1.0 and 1.1 retirement |
July |
Azure has announced that support for older TLS versions (TLS 1.0, and 1.1) ends on August 31, 2025. To learn more about the impact to Azure SQL Database, review connectivity settings. |
Azure SQL Database Dev Container template |
June |
Set up a development environment with an Azure SQL Database dev container template. To get started, set up an Azure SQL Database local development environment with an dev container template. Dev container templates are a superior alternative and replacement to the Azure SQL Database emulator for local development. |
Database compatibility level 160 is now default |
June |
Database compatibility level 160 is now the default for new databases created in Azure SQL Database. For more information on this announcement, see General availability: Database compatibility level 160 in Azure SQL Database. |
Hyperscale named replica zone redundant support |
June |
Zone redundancy support for Hyperscale named replicas are now generally available. For more information, see Blog: Zone redundancy for Hyperscale named replicas. |
UNISTR (preview) |
June |
Azure SQL Database now supports the UNISTR . This syntax is currently in preview. For more information, see UNISTR (Transact-SQL). |
|| and ||= string concatenation support |
June |
Azure SQL Database now supports || and ||= compound assignment T-SQL syntax. This syntax is currently in preview. For more information, see || (String concatenation) and ||= (Compound assignment). |
TLS 1.3 support |
June |
Azure SQL Database now supports connections encrypted with TLS 1.3. Review TLS 1.3 and Minimum TLS settings to learn more. |
Availability metric preview |
May |
Availability is now a metric in the Azure Monitor metrics. Driven by a variety of user connection failures, you can monitor and configure alerts on Azure SQL Database Availability. This feature is currently in preview. |
JSON native data type |
May |
The new native json data type and new JSON aggregate functions are currently in preview. For more information, see JSON Type and aggregates preview. |
JSON aggregate functions |
May |
Two new json aggregate functions JSON_OBJECTAGG and JSON_ARRAYAGG enable construction of JSON objects or arrays based on an aggregate from SQL data. For more information, see JSON Type and aggregates preview. |
License-free standby replica GA |
May |
Save on licensing costs by configuring your secondary database replica for disaster recovery standby. This feature is now generally available. Review License-free standby replica to learn more. |
Elastic jobs GA |
April |
Elastic jobs, now generally available, are the SQL Server Agent replacement for Azure SQL Database. Elastic jobs support Microsoft Entra ID authentication, private endpoints, management via REST APIs, Azure Alerts, and more new features since public preview began. |
Convert existing replica to standby |
April |
It's now possible to convert an existing geo-replica to standby or an existing standby replica back to a regular geo-replica by using the Azure portal and REST API. Review Standby replica to learn more. |
Advanced notifications for maintenance windows in Azure SQL Database GA |
March |
Advance notifications for maintenance windows are now generally available for Azure SQL Database. |
Maintenance window for Hyperscale elastic pools (preview) |
March |
You can now configure a non-default maintenance window for a Hyperscale elastic pool. For more information, read Blog: Maintenance window support for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale elastic pools. |
Copilot skills in Azure SQL Database preview |
March |
Microsoft Copilot skills in Azure SQL Database include two Azure portal experiences: Natural language to SQL within the Azure portal query editor, and Azure Copilot integration. |
Fabric Mirrored Databases (Preview) |
March |
You can now mirror databases in Azure SQL Database to Microsoft Fabric. You can continuously replicate your existing data estate directly into Fabric's OneLake, including data from Azure SQL Database. |
Hyperscale named replica zone redundant support preview |
March |
Zone redundancy support for Hyperscale named replicas is now available in preview. For more information, see Blog: Zone redundancy for Hyperscale named replicas. |
Azure SQL triggers for Azure Functions GA |
March |
Azure Functions supports function triggers for Azure SQL Database. This feature is now generally available. Review Azure SQL triggers for Azure Functions to learn more. |
Database watcher for Azure SQL preview |
March |
Database watcher is a managed monitoring solution for database services in the Azure SQL family. Database watcher collects in-depth workload monitoring data to give you a detailed view of database performance, configuration, and health. This feature is now in preview. Learn more about database watchers. |
Zone redundancy now available for Hyperscale elastic pools (preview) |
February |
You can now create zone redundant elastic pools in the Hyperscale service tier. You can migrate existing zone-redundant Hyperscale databases into elastic pools. For more information, read Blog post: Zone redundant Hyperscale elastic pools. |
Serverless Hyperscale GA |
February |
Automatically scale your Hyperscale databases up and down based on usage when using the Serverless Hyperscale tier, now generally available. |
OBJECT_ID T-SQL syntax preview |
February |
The CREATE USER Transact-SQL (T-SQL) syntax has been extended to include WITH OBJECT_ID to support creating Microsoft Entra logins and users in Azure SQL Database that have nonunique names. Using WITH OBJECT_ID to create users and logins in Azure SQL Database is currently in preview. To learn more, review Microsoft Entra nonunique name support. |
New tutorial: Develop a Kubernetes Application for Azure SQL Database |
January |
A new tutorial is available to demonstrate how to develop a modern application using Python, Docker Containers, Kubernetes, and Azure SQL Database. |