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        Microsoft Releases SP2 for SQL Server 2016
        
        
        
			- By Kurt Mackie
- April 26, 2018
Microsoft this week released service pack 2 (SP2)  of SQL Server 2016, nearly a year and a half after releasing SP1.
The SP2 release, which is available through the Microsoft  Download Center, is packed with performance improvements, as well  as diagnostic additions, and it includes all of the latest updates through SQL  Server 2016 SP1 Cumulative Update 8. 
It also includes Microsoft's Jan.  2 security update for speculative execution side-channel attack scenarios. For  background, see the Redmond article by Microsoft Most  Valuable Professional Joey D'Antoni.
In general, Microsoft improved database backup performance  for "large memory machines" in SQL Server 2016 SP2. Performance also  was enhanced by the addition of "backup compression support." Highlights  on the performance side include:
  - An improved cleanup process for "oversized  distribution database tables" to avoid "blocking or deadlock  scenarios."
- An improvement in "change tracking cleanup"  for "Change Tracking side tables."
- An I/O backup improvement that promises  performance gains when "multiple small databases" are hosted on "large  high-end servers with large memory."
- VDI backup compression for Transparent Data  Encryption-enabled databases.
- Dynamic loading of Replication Agents parameters  "without having to restart the agent."
On the diagnostics side, Microsoft improved the  troubleshooting. It added improvements based on feedback from    the last Microsoft Connect event. Highlights on the diagnostic side include:
  - Full support for "distributed transactions  with Availability Group databases."
- The closing of all Service Broker connections on  Availability Group failovers.
- A Dynamic Management Views addition for monitoring  TempDB sizing "based on the version store usage requirements per database."
- Ability to generate full dumps for Replication  Agents for troubleshooting purposes.
- Dynamic reloading of "some Replication  Agent profile parameters" without having to restart the agent.
The full list of SQL Server 2016 SP2 improvements can be  found in this  Knowledge Base article.
Microsoft is recommending a reboot after installing SP2. While  the service pack is currently available from the Microsoft Download Center, it'll  be available "soon to Visual Studio subscriptions, MBS/Partner Source and  VLSC [Volume Licensing Service Center]," Microsoft indicated.
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
            
        
        
                
                    About the Author
                    
                
                    
                    Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.