Introduction: Should You Upgrade Your SQL Server?

Upgrading SQL Server isn’t always necessary unless there’s a clear business case. If an application is running fine on an older version, the only must-upgrade reason is when a version reaches end-of-support (e.g., security patches stop coming). However, newer versions bring improvements in performance, security, and integration capabilities that may benefit businesses depending on their needs. 

SQL Server’s Evolution: From 2019 to the Azure-Powered 2022

If we look at the number of new features added with each release, we can see that this latest version features almost double the number of new features compared with previous versions, and that’s what makes this new release so exciting. However, it’s important to note that around 20% of these new features rely entirely on Microsoft Azure. 

What’s New in SQL Server 2019?

SQL Server 2019 included the following improvements: 

• Support for deployment with Kubernetes 
• Native UTF-8 support 
• Free Java support 
• Persistent memory support 
• Accelerated database recovery 
• Free Azure Always Encrypted Disaster Recovery (DR) with secure enclaves 
• Vulnerability assessment 
• Data classification and auditing 
• Integration with Azure Machine Learning and Spark ML

What’s New in SQL Server 2022?

And finally, SQL Server 2022 brings us the following new features:

• SQL Server ledger 
• Support for more memory 
• Concurrency scalability support 
• Data virtualization for any Data Lake 
• Query store by default and replica support 
• Time series compatibility 
• NextGen Intelligent Query Processing 
• Time series support 
• Query store hints 
• New Transact-SQL functionalities 
• Integrated acceleration and offloading 
• JSON functions 
• Extensions for Azure 
• Azure Synapse links for SQL 
• Azure Purview policies 

SQL Server 2019 Key New Features

SQL Server 2019 was designed to enhance big data integration, performance, and security. Key features include: 

• Big Data Clusters – Integrated Apache Spark and HDFS support for handling large-scale data within SQL Server. 
• Intelligent Query Processing (IQP) – Improved query performance with features like batch mode on rowstore and adaptive memory grants.  
• Always Encrypted with Secure Enclaves – Enables secure computations on encrypted data. 
• Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR) – Faster recovery after a failover or crash. 
• UTF-8 Support – More efficient storage and compatibility for international applications. 
• Data Virtualization – Query external data sources (Oracle, MongoDB, PostgreSQL) without moving data. 

Use Cases for Upgrading to SQL Server 2019

• Organizations with large datasets or hybrid cloud solutions. 
• Companies seeking improved query performance without modifying existing code. 
• Businesses needing secure data processing within enclaves. 

SQL Server 2022 Key New Features

SQL Server 2022 is the most cloud-connected version yet, offering deeper Azure integration, performance enhancements, and disaster recovery improvements. Key features include:

• Azure Synapse Link – Real-time analytics on transactional data without affecting performance. 
• Ledger (Blockchain-like Security) – Cryptographically protected records for auditing and compliance. 
• Intelligent Query Performance Improvements – Features like Parameter Sensitive Plan Optimization (PSP) for better execution plans. 
• Failover to Azure SQL Managed Instance – Built-in disaster recovery failover capabilities. 
• New JSON Enhancements – Improved JSON functions for better parsing and querying.
   

Use Cases for Upgrading to SQL Server 2022

• Businesses needing seamless cloud integration with Azure. 
• Organizations in regulated industries requiring tamper-proof records. 
• Companies requiring resilient disaster recovery with managed failover. 

When You Should Wait Before Upgrading

• Your current system is stable, performing well, and still supported. 
• Your company has no need for cloud features, big data, or new security models. 
• You have legacy applications that might break on a new version.
   

Top Reasons to Upgrade Now

• Your SQL version is out of support (e.g., SQL Server 2012 reached end-of-life in July 2022). 
• You need better performance without rewriting queries (Intelligent Query Processing). 
• Your business is moving to a hybrid cloud model and needs Azure integration. 
• Your organization requires stronger security and compliance (e.g., financial or healthcare industries). 
• You want to future-proof your database infrastructure. 

Final Thoughts: Aligning Upgrade Decisions with Business Needs

Upgrading SQL Server should be a business-driven decision, not just a technical one. If your current version is still supported and meeting business needs, there’s no immediate urgency to upgrade. However, if your version is nearing end-of-life, or your company requires better security, performance, or cloud capabilities, upgrading to SQL Server 2019 or 2022 can provide long-term benefits. 

SQL Server Feature Comparison by Category

We think that the best way to illustrate the differences between the different versions is to put them into some tables so you can see the availability of each feature or functionality. 

Then, to make things easier, we’ve separated the data into the following sections:

• Database performance 
• Database availability 
• Database security 
• Database management and programming 
• BI and Analytics support 
• Intelligence and databases 
• Azure functionalities 

Database performance: Here, we show the features that aim to ensure that SQL Server uses resources more efficiently and improve processing capabilities. 

Database availability: In this section, we look at the features aimed at providing availability capabilities to the DBMS and its databases to remain “Always On.”
 

Database security: In this section, we look at all the security features, such as encryption, AAD support, logs, antivirus technology, etc.

Database management and programming: In this section, we look at programming language compatibility, data handling, etc. 

BI and analytics support: In this section, we look at all aspects related to Business Intelligence and data analysis.  

Intelligence and databases: In this section, we look at query autodetection and optimization capabilities. 

Azure Functionalities: Here, we look at everything related to Azure support, use of Microsoft public cloud resources, etc.