A Look Inside SQL Server On Linux – General Preview

👤 Puran Kandpal | Modified: May 8th, 2023|SQL | 4 Minutes Reading

Overview

There are some computer users who work upon Windows operating system just for accessing the SQL Server on their machine. Therefore, the Server developers initiated SQL Server for Linux, which enabled Linux OS users to access the SQL Server on this platform itself. Now, one need not to migrate from Linux to any another platform, just for accessing SQL Server on their PC. On 7th March 2016, Microsoft had announced that they will soon come up with an edition of the Microsoft SQL Server, which can be accessed on Linux platform.

After this announcement, Microsoft released a SQL Server Linux preview edition but only for limited set of users. This version can be downloaded from internet and it provides very basic relational database facilities to its users. The organisation had defined these core capabilities as elements of the database engine, which is supporting transactional processing along with data warehousing. It is being targeted that SQL Server on Linux full edition will be availed till mid of 2017, with plans of supporting several Linux distributions.

More About Linux MS SQL Server

The aim of Microsoft developers is to provide a Linux-based SQL Server, which looks, perform, and feels like Windows one. Any computer programs or tools that are working with the Server on Windows are supposed to work with Linux SQL Server. One might not find any difference between both these operating system based SQL Server (atleast not in interface or middleware perspectives). If a persons knows the way to work with the Server on Windows then, he/she will be able to operate the same on Linux too.

Microsoft along with its customers could be having a big chance to win, if Microsoft is providing a constant platform across Linux and Windows, either on premises or on the cloud. If both these Windows and Linux version of SQL Server is able then, clients are having full choice to access the Server on any environment.

Main Reason Behind High Success of Linux SQL Server: Most of the organizations had invested their money in Linux technologies therefore, they have no reason to again spend money for the SQL Server. Therefore, there is a high demand for such edition of the SQL Server, which can easily be supported on Linux.

It can be assumed that the SQL Server team will deliver this application on its made promises. SQL Server for Linux might prove itself a good strategy as of Windows. It can be a complex software and touching features parity on Linux may not be upto mark. But, using the private preview edition, there are chances that the licensed version of SQL Server on Linux will reach users expectations.

Security Features of MS SQL Server on Linux

There are many basic functionalities provided by SQL Server on Linux private preview version and some of such features are mentioned below:

Transparent Data Encryption: TDE (or Transparent Data Encryption) in SQL Server performs a real-time input-output encryption as well decryption of log and data files. It does not provides encryption facility across network but, keep data safe and secure on the Server application itself.
Row level Security (RLS): It is a concept, which is providing protection on the base level within database layer, not on application layer. RLS is developed by using a function and an advance security policy feature, which is rolled out in SQL Server 2016.

Observational Verdict

It is going to be an incredible year for Microsoft and for data all over the industry. Till today’s date, Microsoft have been creating products for its own platform i.e., Windows. But now, it is initiating its product i.e., SQL Server for Linux. This news is officially announced but, the licensed product has not yet occurred in the market. In addition, if one wants to learn the working of Linux-based SQL Server then, they can use private preview edition of the product.