New Capabilities of MS SQL Server 2016 in Lime Systems Solutions

Modern database management systems continue to expand their capabilities for processing and storing large volumes of information. This enables software developers to work with customer data more efficiently, perform multi-level analysis, and provide stronger information support for management decisions.

With SQL Server 2016, Microsoft introduced a range of new mechanisms, some of which Lime Systems has begun using in its software solutions.

Lime Systems’ official partnership with Microsoft began in 2004. In 2011, the company achieved Microsoft Gold Partner status, reflecting the expertise of its specialists and the quality of its software solutions.

Several capabilities of MS SQL Server 2016 are particularly relevant to the performance and operation of banking information systems.

Data Protection, High Availability and Disaster Recovery

The security features introduced in SQL Server 2016 help protect data used in critical workloads. Its multi-layered security approach includes auditing tools, Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) and other mechanisms that support compliance with regulatory requirements for storing sensitive information.

High Performance

SQL Server 2016 demonstrates strong results in performance tests using TPC-E workloads for online transaction processing and TPC-H workloads for analytical systems. These capabilities are also reflected in the performance of practical tasks within operational information systems.

Extended Database Administration Capabilities

SQL Server 2016 provides a broad set of tools for database management and maintenance. The expanded range of operations available in ONLINE mode simplifies administration and helps reduce periods of data unavailability.

SQL Server Management Studio also introduces Live Query Statistics, enabling specialists to monitor query execution in real time. Information such as execution time, completion percentage and the volume of processed data can be used for further optimisation.

Microsoft has also announced special migration terms for organisations moving to SQL Server 2016 from competing platforms. The offer is intended to make an integrated environment for data storage, protection, processing and analysis more accessible to organisations that have previously invested in other vendors’ technologies.

These terms may also be relevant to financial institutions, helping reduce the costs associated with new licences, migration planning and staff training.