November 16, 2016 at 10:07 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item A Joke Come True
November 17, 2016 at 12:31 am
I have known three SQL Server and Windows using companies that seriously considered how they could leverage Linux; one stayed as they were, one moved everything except one SQL Server/Windows box to Linux and the last one ditched SQL Server and Windows.
None of these companies wanted to ditch SQL Server. The one that did found the experience quite painful. I think it is going to be interesting times as I am not sure anyone has the same loyalty to, or reliance on, Windows as they do to/on SQL Server.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
November 17, 2016 at 1:41 am
It's great that the private preview has been opened up. I've seen more and more companies adopt Linux, so in my view it's definitely the right way for Microsoft to go. I'm looking forward to trying SQL Server on Linux - exciting times.
November 17, 2016 at 1:56 am
As a developer, I only care about two aspects (leaving all else to DBAs):
I hope that this is something that pleases SysAdmins and DBAs but unless I am architecting a systems (by myself or in collaboration) it is just an interesting fact about SQL Server.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
November 17, 2016 at 2:03 am
At present it won't impact me at all.
For MS it seems like the continuation of a trend of being more open and cross platform. With the likes of Google/Apple acting more bullish and closed off then I think it will do wonders for their reputation. Those more cynical might see it as a long game of Independence Day, i.e. position all your pieces (SQL Server, .NET etc...) cross platform and then once the majority rely on them and then when the time is right strike. I feel the former is more likely.
I'd guess given the cost of SQL Server any loss of Windows will probably be replaced or increased by SQL Server sales. They can't possibly give it away for free on Linux otherwise everyone would switch and they'd lose out on all money. Perhaps they will drive up use of Azure SQL and get money from that and thus make SQL Server free for everyone, or reduce the cost significantly.
November 17, 2016 at 6:05 am
I see this as a good thing. My previous company used SQL Server but moved away from it for 'cloud' deployment because they changed OS because of other Windows issues. Windows XP was much loved as is Windows 7 which followed the hated Vista. Currently Windows 10 is not finding favour because of update issues and the deployment of Office 2016! Currently it looks as when we fully move to the 'cloud' here t will be on a Linux OS.
November 17, 2016 at 6:29 am
Would I use Linux over Windows for my current environments hosting my data warehouse in SQL Server? Absolutely, yes!
For me, I use a lot of Python for my app development with SQL Server. While I can run this on Windows, I would rather run those apps on Linux as part of the LAMP stack. I would love to see that M not reference MySQL, but instead MSSQL.
One of the best use cases that I could see is those of us who develop and leverage a lot of data connector type apps, which are feeding off the many API's available to us. Python makes developing data connectors extremely fast and easy compared to .NET, which can be a lot more time consuming and expensive.
However, SQL Server running on Linux is not needed to make that happen. I still would likely not deploy apps to the same environment as my database environment. Thus, I can still run Linux along side of my Windows DB environment. But, unifying all environments and bringing them to a similar standard is a bonus in my mind. Not having to worry about the expense of Windows Server is icing on the cake.
November 17, 2016 at 6:53 am
mjh 45389 (11/17/2016)
I see this as a good thing. My previous company used SQL Server but moved away from it for 'cloud' deployment because they changed OS because of other Windows issues. Windows XP was much loved as is Windows 7 which followed the hated Vista. Currently Windows 10 is not finding favour because of update issues and the deployment of Office 2016! Currently it looks as when we fully move to the 'cloud' here t will be on a Linux OS.
That is subjective to you situation.
I know some customers who were dragged off XP to Win 7 after XP was no longer supported and have now already started transitioning to Win 10.
November 17, 2016 at 7:41 am
I don't think we have a Linux installation on any of our machines.
November 17, 2016 at 7:45 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/16/2016)
Comments posted to this topic are about the item <A HREF="/articles/Editorial/149105/">A Joke Come True</A>
Good decision? I think so. Microsoft is destroying the Windows platform. Touch screen OS for a server? Did they forget that there are technical people who make a living supporting servers? Do they really think that consumers can manage a data center?
Maybe when Windows dies in the data center, this will be one product that survives.
Strong opinion, I know, but a lot of people are sick and tired of MS chasing Apple - what happened to the days when they innovated and developed unique, quality products.
Dave
November 17, 2016 at 7:52 am
Visual Studio for the mac. SQL Server on Linux, Office to the cloud and mobiles. To me their trend is to focus on tools and the cloud. The OS as a core revenue base is history. And it makes sense as more young companies focus on the cloud, Linux and Mac's. Microsoft has really always been about the tools. The OS was just a way to provide a platform to sell tools. As a strategy it is smart. And good for those that make a living off of SQL Server.
The more you are prepared, the less you need it.
November 17, 2016 at 7:53 am
Gary Varga (11/17/2016)
I have known three SQL Server and Windows using companies that seriously considered how they could leverage Linux; one stayed as they were, one moved everything except one SQL Server/Windows box to Linux and the last one ditched SQL Server and Windows.None of these companies wanted to ditch SQL Server. The one that did found the experience quite painful. I think it is going to be interesting times as I am not sure anyone has the same loyalty to, or reliance on, Windows as they do to/on SQL Server.
Agreed. I used to defend them. People complained about bugs, and how Windows was so far behind Unix, forgetting of course that Unix is a much older OS. They made progress, and platforms like 2000, XP and 7 were outstanding (7 still is!). They stumbled with Vista (and others) but then someone decided that everything should be touch screen. Um, I have YET to see a touch screen in a data center and I doubt I ever will. Plus, how often do we open the doors to the data center? To check UPS's, replace parts, add new blades... We don't generally touch anything but the hardware. In fact, most of our servers and blades no longer have anything attached to them to allow you to logon. Why would they?
One nice thing about Linux, you can choose distributions that don't spy on you, don't share all your data across the Internet, and that actually run without rebooting every 30-90 days or so. We have Unix/Linux machines that have not needed a reboot in years. The longest up time on any of our remaining Windows servers is less than 90 days.
Dave
November 17, 2016 at 7:59 am
djackson 22568 (11/17/2016)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/16/2016)
Comments posted to this topic are about the item <A HREF="/articles/Editorial/149105/">A Joke Come True</A>Good decision? I think so. Microsoft is destroying the Windows platform. Touch screen OS for a server? Did they forget that there are technical people who make a living supporting servers? Do they really think that consumers can manage a data center?
Maybe when Windows dies in the data center, this will be one product that survives.
Strong opinion, I know, but a lot of people are sick and tired of MS chasing Apple - what happened to the days when they innovated and developed unique, quality products.
So being able to develop apps that scale to desktop/laptop/tablet/mobile/xbox with 1 deployment is not innovative? Can Apple do that with what they currently have? No they can't.
I don't think MS are chasing anything. For those hating the tiles of Server 2012/R2 install start8 or something, job done. Probably Server 2016 or whatever they call it will have the Windows 10 UI that blends and works both ways with easy. I've never tried it but what if you RDP'd to a server using a device with touch screen? Wouldn't the touch work then? Thus the we never go into the server room thing falls flat on it's face.
November 17, 2016 at 8:14 am
peter.row (11/17/2016)
djackson 22568 (11/17/2016)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/16/2016)
Comments posted to this topic are about the item <A HREF="/articles/Editorial/149105/">A Joke Come True</A>Good decision? I think so. Microsoft is destroying the Windows platform. Touch screen OS for a server? Did they forget that there are technical people who make a living supporting servers? Do they really think that consumers can manage a data center?
Maybe when Windows dies in the data center, this will be one product that survives.
Strong opinion, I know, but a lot of people are sick and tired of MS chasing Apple - what happened to the days when they innovated and developed unique, quality products.
So being able to develop apps that scale to desktop/laptop/tablet/mobile/xbox with 1 deployment is not innovative? Can Apple do that with what they currently have? No they can't.
I don't think MS are chasing anything. For those hating the tiles of Server 2012/R2 install start8 or something, job done. Probably Server 2016 or whatever they call it will have the Windows 10 UI that blends and works both ways with easy. I've never tried it but what if you RDP'd to a server using a device with touch screen? Wouldn't the touch work then? Thus the we never go into the server room thing falls flat on it's face.
My post was not about Apple, it was about MS failings. However, maybe you need to try some Apple products, clearly you aren't aware of their capabilities.
Do you work in an organization that has a data center? We allow more access than most, and again, almost nobody goes in there. There isn't a reason to. I also don't know any engineer who uses a touch screen. Most of us use a keyboard as it is about 100 times faster. I don't have time to use a touch screen, what I do in 8 hours would take an entire week.
Dave
November 17, 2016 at 8:19 am
Especially for lower tier servers (ie: 4 CPU / 8 GB memory), or instances where the database engine is the only service running, it's hard to justify the OS memory and licensing tax. Aside from the financial cost of the OS licence, you don't want to grant too much memory for the OS, because it's doing nothing but acting as the host, but at the same time you don't want to starve the OS either, because it can impact the performance of your database service.
Yes, Linux has a lower licensing cost and memory footprint, but perhaps Microsoft's efforts to disentangle SQL Server from Windows, making it more OS agnostic, is no so much about embracing other OS vendors but part of an even more ambitious long term strategy to make SQL Server non-dependent on ANY host operating system. SQL Server itself could encapsulate all the minimal networking, file system, MPP, and virtualization functions that the database engine needs to do it's job with maximum efficiency.
I didn't read this anywhere; it's just speculation on my part, because it seems to me the next logical move and also ties in with Microsoft's strategy to make SQL Server predominately an off-premises non-managed cloud based service.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
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