To provide a comparison of SQL Server versions 2017, 2019, and 2022 in a tabular form, we’ll focus on several key aspects that usually differentiate SQL Server versions: performance improvements, security features, scalability enhancements, and new functionalities or features.

Here’s a simplified comparison table:

Feature / Version	SQL Server 2017	SQL Server 2019	SQL Server 2022
Release Date	October 2017	November 2019	November 2022
Platform Support	Windows, Linux, Docker	Windows, Linux, Docker	Windows, Linux, Docker
Performance Improvements	Adaptive Query Processing, Automatic Tuning	Batch Mode on Rowstore, Table Variable Deferred Compilation	Parameter Sensitive Plan Optimization, Intelligent Query Processing enhancements
Security Features	Always Encrypted with Secure Enclaves	Always Encrypted with Secure Enclaves, Data Classification, Accelerated Database Recovery	Ledger, Improved Always Encrypted
Scalability Enhancements		Resumable Online Index Create, Resumable Online Index Rebuild	Automatic Scaling with Azure Integration
New Functionalities	Graph Database Capabilities, Python Support for Machine Learning	Big Data Clusters, UTF-8 Support, SQL Graph Enhancements	Azure Synapse Link, Query Store Hints, JSON enhancements
Integration	SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) on Linux	Improved PolyBase with more data sources, Java language programmability extension	Enhanced PolyBase, Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
High Availability	Basic Availability Groups	Accelerated Database Recovery, Secondary Replica for Distributed Transactions	Contained Availability Groups, Improved Distributed Transactions

This table summarizes the major highlights and differences between SQL Server 2017, 2019, and 2022. It’s important to note that each new version of SQL Server builds upon the features of the previous ones, adding improvements, performance enhancements, and new capabilities to support the evolving needs of modern applications. Additionally, Microsoft continuously updates each version with cumulative updates and service packs to address bugs, security vulnerabilities, and minor feature improvements. For the most detailed and up-to-date comparison, consulting the official Microsoft documentation or release notes is recommended.

For a more detailed comparison of SQL Server versions 2017, 2019, and 2022, we’ll delve into a broader range of features including performance, security, development, and administration enhancements. This detailed analysis highlights how each version has built upon its predecessor to offer improved capabilities and support evolving data management needs.

Performance Improvements

• SQL Server 2017: Introduced Adaptive Query Processing and Automatic Tuning, aimed at optimizing query performance in real-time based on the workload. It also included improvements in the database engine for faster transactions and queries.
• SQL Server 2019: Enhanced performance with Batch Mode on Rowstore without the need for columnstore indexes, and introduced Table Variable Deferred Compilation to improve plan quality. SQL Server 2019 also made significant strides in Intelligent Query Processing to further optimize query execution.
• SQL Server 2022: Introduced Parameter Sensitive Plan Optimization to better handle query plan choice variations and expanded Intelligent Query Processing features for more scenarios. It also improved the performance of scalar UDF inlining and provided enhancements for spatial data types.

Security Features

• SQL Server 2017: Improved Always Encrypted with secure enclaves, allowing for richer queries on encrypted data. It also introduced Dynamic Data Masking and Row-Level Security for more granular access controls.
• SQL Server 2019: Built on the security features of 2017, adding Data Classification for a more nuanced approach to data sensitivity and compliance, along with Accelerated Database Recovery to significantly reduce recovery times.
• SQL Server 2022: Introduced Ledger technology, providing an immutable ledger for data changes to enhance data transparency and security. Improved Always Encrypted features offer better performance and usability.

Scalability and High Availability

• SQL Server 2017: Focused on cross-platform availability with support for Windows, Linux, and Docker containers, allowing for more deployment options.
• SQL Server 2019: Introduced Resumable Online Index Create and Rebuild, allowing for more flexibility in index management and maintenance operations. It also added Big Data Clusters for scalable clusters of SQL Server, Spark, and HDFS containers.
• SQL Server 2022: Enhanced scalability through automatic scaling capabilities with Azure integration, and improved high availability with Contained Availability Groups and better support for Distributed Transactions.

Development and Administration Enhancements

• SQL Server 2017: Added support for Graph Database capabilities for more complex data relationships and Python support for machine learning services, broadening the scope of in-database analytics.
• SQL Server 2019: Introduced UTF-8 support, providing significant storage savings for character data. SQL Graph enhancements and Big Data Clusters expanded the data platform’s capabilities for managing relational and non-relational data. It also included a Java language extension.
• SQL Server 2022: Brought Azure Synapse Link for near real-time analytics, Query Store Hints for finer control over query plans, and JSON enhancements to improve the handling of JSON data. Enhanced PolyBase with more data source connectivity and introduced the Link feature for seamless hybrid data scenarios with Azure SQL Managed Instance.

Integration and Analytics

• SQL Server 2017: Enhanced SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) on Linux, making it easier to perform ETL operations across different operating systems.
• SQL Server 2019: Improved PolyBase with additional data sources for integration and Java language programmability extensions, allowing for richer data processing and transformation capabilities.
• SQL Server 2022: Continued to enhance data integration features, offering better support for working with large volumes of data in hybrid environments and making it easier to move and analyze data across different platforms.

This detailed comparison shows the evolution of SQL Server from 2017 through 2022, with each version introducing significant improvements and new features to support the growing and changing needs of businesses in data management, performance, security, and analytics. The choice of version will depend on specific organizational needs, considering factors like the need for the latest features, compliance requirements, and the IT environment’s complexity.

For an in-depth analysis and comparison of the features across SQL Server versions, including the latest advancements and capabilities introduced in SQL Server 2022, Microsoft provides a comprehensive resource. You can explore detailed information on performance improvements, security enhancements, scalability features, and the development and administration tools available in these versions by visiting Microsoft’s official page. Check out the complete comparison at Microsoft’s SQL Server 2022 Comparison. This resource is invaluable for understanding the full scope of what each SQL Server version offers, helping you to make an informed decision based on your specific needs for database management, analytics, and application development.