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Microsoft SQL Server 2025: Getting Smarter with AI!
Hey everyone, John here! Today, we’re talking about Microsoft’s SQL Server 2025. Now, that might sound a bit technical, but don’t worry! I’m going to break it down so even your grandma could understand it. Basically, Microsoft is giving SQL Server a brain boost to help it work better with AI.
Catching Up with the Cool Kids: Vector Search
One of the biggest updates is something called “vector search.”
Lila: Um, John? What in the world is “vector search?” Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie!
Good question, Lila! Imagine you have a huge library of books. Normally, you’d search for a specific word. Vector search is like being able to search for books based on their meaning. So, instead of searching for “cat,” you could search for “fluffy animal that meows.” It understands the concept, not just the word. Other big companies like Google, Oracle, and Amazon have already added this to their databases (big collections of information), so Microsoft is joining the party. This helps the database understand relationships and context within the data, improving search accuracy.
According to Matt Aslett, an expert at ISG Software Research, this is a big deal because so many businesses use SQL Server. Even though they’re a little late to the game, it’s still important because of how widespread it is.
They’re using the same technology as their Cosmos DB database, called DiskANN.
Lila: DiskANN? Another weird name!
Haha, I agree! Think of DiskANN as a super-fast way to find the closest matches to your search, even when things are constantly changing. It’s like having a super-efficient librarian who always knows where everything is, even as new books are added and old ones are moved around. Both SQL Server 2025 and Cosmos DB will also support something called retrieval augmented generation (RAG).
Lila: RAG? Getting hungry… Is that like a new kind of candy?
Not quite, Lila. RAG, or Retrieval Augmented Generation, is a technique where the AI looks up relevant information before answering your question, making its answers much more accurate and helpful. So, instead of just guessing, it checks its facts first! Microsoft is also making it easier to use SQL Server with popular AI tools like LangChain and Semantic Kernel.
More Than Just Vector Search: Other Cool Features
But that’s not all! Microsoft is also adding other features to make building AI-powered applications easier:
- JSON support: This helps SQL Server work with data from different sources, especially data that isn’t neatly organized.
- Python driver: Python is a popular programming language for AI, so this makes it easier for developers to use SQL Server with their Python code.
- Change event streaming: This lets applications know when data changes in real-time, which is important for things like monitoring and alerting.
These additions help SQL Server stay current and competitive by improving the accuracy of AI applications.
Playing Catch-Up or Leading the Way?
Some experts, like Tony Baer from dbInsight, think Microsoft is a bit behind in some areas, like supporting different types of data and streaming. However, other experts, like Matt Aslett, point out that SQL Server 2025 is ahead of the game when it comes to model management.
Lila: Model management? What’s that?
Think of “models” as AI brains. Model management is like having a good filing system for all those brains. SQL Server lets you store the definitions of these AI models right inside the database, making it easier to keep track of them and use them. These models can connect to different AI services, like Azure AI and OpenAI, but they’re kept separate from the main SQL Server engine for security.
Even More Goodies: Performance and Security
Microsoft is also making SQL Server faster and more secure:
- Performance enhancements: They’re making query processing (asking the database questions) faster.
- Security features: They’re improving locking mechanisms to reduce memory usage and prevent conflicts when multiple people are using the database at the same time.
Finally, they’re introducing a new “Standard Developer edition” so developers can play around with the software without having to pay for a license. This is great for learning and testing!
John’s Takeaway
Overall, SQL Server 2025 looks like a solid update. While they’re playing catch-up in some areas, the vector search and model management features are definitely steps in the right direction. It’s great to see Microsoft making it easier for businesses to leverage AI with their existing databases.
Lila’s Perspective: Wow, that sounds really complicated, but also kind of cool! I still don’t understand everything, but I think I’m starting to get the basic idea of how AI and databases work together. It seems like Microsoft is trying to make it easier for everyone to use AI, even if they’re not a computer expert!
This article is based on the following original source, summarized from the author’s perspective:
Microsoft beefs up SQL Server 2025 for AI-driven
applications
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