Microsoft has published the first Release Candidate of SQL Server 2025. RC0 introduces a number of notable new features, including official support for Ubuntu 24.04 in development and testing scenarios and the default enablement of TLS 1.3.
This marks the next step in Microsoft’s preparations for the final release, which is expected later in 2025.
Support for Ubuntu 24.04 is currently limited to the Enterprise Evaluation Edition, which is available for 180 days. For production, Microsoft currently recommends SQL Server 2022 in combination with Ubuntu 22.04 or RHEL 9. This gives organizations the opportunity to experiment with the latest Linux distribution and prepare for a later production-ready release.
Microsoft is immediately tightening security with TLS 1.3. This version of the protocol offers stronger encryption and a more efficient handshake, providing better protection for data traffic between databases and applications. For organizations that have to comply with strict compliance requirements, this may be an important reason to test SQL Server 2025 early on.
In addition to these basic updates, Microsoft is focusing heavily on AI and performance. The new version includes built-in vector embedding support, with optimizations in both the .NET and JDBC drivers. According to Microsoft, this translates into significant performance gains: read operations are up to fifty times faster, write operations are more than three times faster, and bulk copy operations will end up being nineteen times faster. This as reported by Neowin. Such improvements are relevant for workloads involving machine learning, search applications, and generative AI, where speed and scalability are crucial.
Copilot integration
Microsoft is also making strides on the functional front. SQL Server Management Studio will get Copilot integration. This should simplify database development and management. In addition, native JSON support is being added, giving developers more flexibility without external libraries. Another important innovation is Optimized Locking. This technique is designed to reduce memory usage of locks and minimize blockages between transactions. With Transaction ID Locking and Lock After Qualification, Microsoft aims to improve scalability and performance under heavy loads.
For those who want to try out the new features quickly, Microsoft offers a quickstart guide on Microsoft Learn. This makes it easy to roll out SQL Server 2025 in a WSL2 container. Within a few Docker commands, the database is operational and can be connected to SQL Server Management Studio.
With RC0, Microsoft is painting a clear picture of the direction in which SQL Server 2025 is developing. The combination of modern Linux support, improved security, significant performance gains, and AI integrations shows that the database is focused on the next generation of applications. The final release will follow later this year, but organizations can already start preparing for a fundamental upgrade of their data platform.