What's new in the SQL core engine

Regular 50 minute session for SQLBits 2026Thursday - 23 Apr 2026 - 15:10 - 16:00 Room 1B

TL; DR

With all the news about developer and AI features in SQL, you might wonder if we had any time to invest in the RDBMS core. We certainly did! If you are a DBA, a data engineer, or a developer interested in the new performance and reliability features in query processing and all the way down into the storage engine, join us to learn what's new. We guarantee you'll walk away with new ideas!

Session Details

With all the news about developer and AI features in SQL, you might wonder if we had any time to invest in the RDBMS core. We certainly did! If you are a DBA, a data engineer, or a developer interested in the new performance and reliability features in query processing and all the way down into the storage engine, join us to learn what's new. We guarantee you'll walk away with new ideas!

3 things you'll get out of this session

• Discover new performance features in query processing

• Explore reliability improvements in the storage engine

• Walk away with new ideas for leveraging RDBMS core enhancements

Bob Ward's other proposed sessions for 2026

The Roadmap for One SQL: Edge to PaaS to SaaS - 2026

Ask Me Anything: Migrating On-Prem SQL Server to Azure SQL – Real-World Experience - 2026

Ask us anything - Panel session with SQL LT - 2026

Build Secure, Scalable AI Applications with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale - 2026

Inside SQL Server 2025 Part 1 - 2026

Inside SQL Server 2025 Part 2 - 2026

SQL and AI for the rest of us - 2026

SQL vs. Fabric? Why Not Both! A Practical and Entertaining Guide for All - 2026

SQL Server Versioning Explained - 2026

Microsoft SQL and AMD in the era of AI - 2026

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