SQL Server 2016 - Catching Up Since SQL Server 2008R2

  • We are moving from SQL 2008R2 to 2016 and needless to say I'm not up to date with the changes in SQL Server over versions 2012, 2014 and 2016.  I've worked a little with systems that use SQL 2012 and 2014 but never like I have with 2008R2.  Are there any recommendations on a good video(s) or course(s)  fro someone who knows SQL 2008R2 and is looking to get caught up with SQL to version 2016?  I was going to watch INTRO to course for 2012, 2014 and 2016 but with Microsoft its possible that something added in 2012 is no longer valid or soon to be removed as of 2016 so what I'm looking for is info (preferably;y video so I can listen while exercising/working)  on version 2012 and 2014 that are still applicable as of SQL 2016.  

    Thanks

    Kindest Regards,

    Just say No to Facebook!
  • I don't know of a video along the lines of what you're looking for. However, I can make one huge recommendation. Learn Query Store. It's your best friend in the upgrade process. In fact, here's a quick primer on how you should use it:

    Migrate your databases to 2016, but leave them in the old compatibility mode
    Turn on Query Store
    Run your load (one day, one week, one month, you'll have to figure this part out)
    Change the compatibility mode
    Identify any query regressions caused by the new cardinality estimation engine
    Use plan forcing to fix them

    Query Store is the magic sauce to get through the upgrade process and get over the hump of the new cardinality estimation engine introduced in 2014. Here is an introduction to Query Store and here's another resource.

    Also, learn extended events. They are an enormous improvement over trace for a very large number of reasons. They were not really functional in 2008R2, but they certainly are in 2016 (2012, 2014, 2017 and Azure SQL Database).

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • YSLGuru - Tuesday, August 14, 2018 11:08 AM

    We are moving from SQL 2008R2 to 2016 and needless to say I'm not up to date with the changes in SQL Server over versions 2012, 2014 and 2016.  I've worked a little with systems that use SQL 2012 and 2014 but never like I have with 2008R2.  Are there any recommendations on a good video(s) or course(s)  fro someone who knows SQL 2008R2 and is looking to get caught up with SQL to version 2016?  I was going to watch INTRO to course for 2012, 2014 and 2016 but with Microsoft its possible that something added in 2012 is no longer valid or soon to be removed as of 2016 so what I'm looking for is info (preferably;y video so I can listen while exercising/working)  on version 2012 and 2014 that are still applicable as of SQL 2016.  

    Thanks

    If you do searches for "what's new in SQL Server xxxx" where "xxxx" is replaced by each of 2012, 2014, 2016, you'll find a wealth of information and articles.  Unfortunately, MS does not maintain a "full monty" list of everything that has changed since 2008 in a single document.

    As for what has gone away, you'll need to do a similar investigation using a search of "discontinued and deprecated features in sql server xxxx", was well.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • Thanks for the replies

    Kindest Regards,

    Just say No to Facebook!
  • Columnstore indexes are amazing for data warehouse type deployments, especially in instances where the warehouse may not have been well planned from the beginning. I find them to be great stop gaps in cases of poor design, and I imagine can be useful in more long term designs.

    Also, developer now doesn't cost anything in non production environments and has every enterprise feature unlocked. Honestly this was the most monumental change for our organization and has saved us millions.

    There are a bunch of new features and changes, but if you are pro with SQL 2008 R2 you really don't have that much to learn. As others on this thread stated, just read up on "what's new", do your due diligence and extensive testing on non prod, etc.

  • eshults5 - Sunday, August 19, 2018 7:20 AM

    Also, developer now doesn't cost anything in non production environments and has every enterprise feature unlocked. Honestly this was the most monumental change for our organization and has saved us millions.

    The Developers Edition only used to be $30-60USD per seat and so I'm curious... how did it save you "millions"?

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • Jeff Moden - Sunday, August 19, 2018 8:03 AM

    eshults5 - Sunday, August 19, 2018 7:20 AM

    Also, developer now doesn't cost anything in non production environments and has every enterprise feature unlocked. Honestly this was the most monumental change for our organization and has saved us millions.

    The Developers Edition only used to be $30-60USD per seat and so I'm curious... how did it save you "millions"?

    We previously were not using developer and were using standard/enterprise before upgrading to 2016 for non prod. Don't ask me why, I wasn't here when they made that initial decision 🙂 . Keep in mind there were other efforts of consolidating databases that were being done in parallel as well. 

    This is the exact reason I used to convince the company to do a widespread upgrade from 2012 to 2016 ahead of schedule ,lol.

    Hell, even if we were using developer, that $30-$60 per would save us a ton of money. I believe we have close to 1000 developers total on all our MSSQL stacks.

  • Also, make sure you download and install this on a test server and run it against your SQL 2008.  It will tell you if anything will break that Microsoft is aware of.  Like column attributes that are no longer supported...

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/install-windows/prepare-for-upgrade-by-running-data-migration-assistant?view=sql-server-2017

  • In the past when I have been involved in client migrations from 2000/2005 to SQL 2008R2 (I've been around for a while!) and SQL 2008 R2 to SQL 2012/14/16/17 MS used to produced a huge white paper on the whole migration process. I feel bad for the environment as I printed one of them out and still have it 400+ pages! :ermm:

    Normally it would be entitled SQL Server 2016 upgrade technical reference guide, however I can only find ones for 2012/2014.

    They were very helpful IIRC.

    In the Azure world, it shouldn't be too hard to set up two IaaS VM's with SQL 2008R2 and SQL 2016 and you can test the upgrades as much as you want. Need to start again, just trash and rebuild. That's where you will learn the most. 😀

    qh

    [font="Tahoma"]Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. – Carl Jung.[/font]

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