History of SQL Server

The history of Microsoft SQL Server dates back to the late 1980s when Microsoft began to explore the database market. At the time, Microsoft was primarily known for its operating system and productivity software and had not yet entered the database market.

• In 1986, Microsoft released its first database product, Microsoft SQL Server for OS/2. This product was designed to run on IBM’s OS/2 operating system and provided a way to store and retrieve data using SQL queries. It was a precursor to what would become SQL Server but was not widely adopted due to the limited popularity of OS/2.
• In 1989, Microsoft released SQL Server 1.0 for Microsoft OS/2 and Microsoft Windows. This was the first version of SQL Server to be widely adopted, and it quickly gained popularity as a robust and reliable database management system.
• Over the years, Microsoft continued to develop SQL Server, adding new features and improving its performance and scalabilit1993y. In , Microsoft released SQL Server 4.21 for Windows NT, introducing client/server computing support and enhanced support for distributed databases.
• In 1995, Microsoft released SQL Server 6.0, a major release that included many new features, such as triggers, stored procedures, and support for the ODBC standard. This version also included improved security features and a graphical user interface for database management.
• In 1998, Microsoft released SQL Server 7.0, a major product overhaul. It introduced several new features, including support for data warehousing, OLAP, and XML. This version also included improved scalability and reliability, making it a popular choice for large enterprises.
• In 2000, Microsoft released SQL Server 2000, another major release that introduced several new features, including support for distributed transactions and improved support for data warehousing. This version also included improved performance and scalability, making it one of the industry’s most popular database management systems.
• In 2005, Microsoft released SQL Server 2005, a significant release introducing several new features, including support for SQL CLR (Common Language Runtime) and enhanced support for XML. This version also included improved security features and integration with other Microsoft products, such as Visual Studio.
• In 2008, Microsoft released SQL Server 2008, which introduced several new features, including support for spatial data and improved support for policy-based management. This version also included improved performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for large enterprises.
• Since then, Microsoft has continued to develop SQL Server, releasing several new versions with new features and improvements. The most recent releases include SQL Server 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and the cloud-based Azure SQL Database.

Microsoft SQL Server has come a long way since its early days as a database product for OS/2. Today, it is a powerful and popular database management system that is widely used in the industry. Its history is marked by significant releases and improvements, each of which has contributed to its success.