Microsoft SQL Server 2025 (17.x) is now generally available. It was released on November 18, 2025 and adds capabilities for AI and vector workloads, modern application development, JSON and regular expressions, query performance, security, and Microsoft Fabric integration.
Quick answer: The major SQL Server 2025 changes include native vector support, vector search, a native JSON data type, regular-expression functions, new AI capabilities, improvements to intelligent query processing, REST and GraphQL APIs through Data API Builder, and Fabric mirroring. SQL Server 2025 also introduces edition changes and removes several older services.
What’s new in SQL Server 2025?
1. Native vector support for AI workloads
SQL Server 2025 introduces a native vector data type and vector functions for storing and working with embeddings. Vector indexes and VECTOR_SEARCH support similarity-search scenarios used by AI and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) applications.
SQL Server can therefore store relational data and vector data in the same database, which can simplify architectures where AI workloads need to work with existing business data.
2. New AI capabilities
SQL Server 2025 adds capabilities for working with external AI models, including functions for generating chunks and embeddings. It also introduces functionality for calling external REST endpoints from SQL Server and an SQL MCP Server for connecting agents to databases.
3. Native JSON data type and JSON improvements
SQL Server 2025 introduces a native json data type that stores JSON documents in a binary format. Microsoft also adds features such as CREATE JSON INDEX, JSON_CONTAINS, array wildcard support, and additional JSON query capabilities.
4. Regular expressions in T-SQL
SQL Server 2025 adds regular-expression functions that can be used to find, validate, extract, replace, count, and split text using regex patterns. This reduces the need to move some text-processing operations into application code.
5. Intelligent Query Processing improvements
SQL Server 2025 expands Query Store and Intelligent Query Processing. Improvements include cardinality estimation feedback for expressions, optional parameter plan optimization (OPPO), degree of parallelism (DOP) feedback, Query Store for readable secondaries, and the ABORT_QUERY_EXECUTION query hint.
6. REST and GraphQL APIs
Data API Builder can expose database objects through REST and GraphQL endpoints. SQL Server 2025 also adds sp_invoke_external_rest_endpoint for calling supported external REST endpoints from SQL Server.
SQL Server 2025 and Microsoft Fabric
SQL Server 2025 supports mirroring to Microsoft Fabric, allowing supported SQL Server databases to be continuously replicated to Fabric. This provides a path for organizations that want to combine SQL Server workloads with Fabric analytics.
Security and platform improvements
SQL Server 2025 includes security, authentication, Linux, tooling, and hybrid-management improvements. It supports newer platform capabilities including TLS 1.3 on Linux, Ubuntu 24.04, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. Microsoft also continues to expand Azure Arc-connected scenarios.
SSIS, SSAS and SSRS changes
SQL Server 2025 includes changes across the broader SQL Server platform, including Integration Services and Analysis Services. For reporting, an important change is that on-premises reporting services are consolidated under Power BI Report Server starting with SQL Server 2025. Microsoft does not introduce a new SSRS version with SQL Server 2025.
SQL Server 2025 edition changes
| Change | SQL Server 2025 |
|---|---|
| Standard edition buffer pool | Up to 256 GB per instance |
| Standard edition compute | Lesser of 4 sockets or 32 cores |
| Resource Governor | Available in Standard and Standard Developer |
| Web edition | Discontinued |
| Express database size | Up to 50 GB |
| Express with Advanced Services | Discontinued as a separate edition |
Features removed or discontinued
Some older SQL Server services are no longer available in SQL Server 2025:
- Data Quality Services (DQS) — removed in SQL Server 2025.
- Master Data Services (MDS) — removed in SQL Server 2025.
- Synapse Link for SQL Server — discontinued; Microsoft points to Fabric Mirroring for supported scenarios.
- Purview access policies — discontinued; Microsoft provides fixed server-role alternatives.
Important breaking changes before upgrading
SQL Server 2025 introduces breaking changes that should be reviewed before an upgrade. Microsoft specifically documents changes affecting linked servers, replication, log shipping, and PolyBase. Encryption changes can also affect existing linked-server configurations, particularly when using Microsoft OLE DB Driver 19.
Review the SQL Server 2025 breaking changes documentation before upgrading production environments.
SQL Server 2025 availability and support
SQL Server 2025 reached general availability on November 18, 2025. Microsoft lists mainstream support through January 7, 2031 and extended support through January 7, 2036.
Microsoft continues to release cumulative updates. As of September 2026, the latest listed SQL Server 2025 CU is CU8, build 17.0.4075.5, released August 13, 2026. Microsoft also lists a September 8, 2026 GDR build of 17.0.4085.5.
Should you upgrade to SQL Server 2025?
The answer depends on your workload, application compatibility, required features, and operational constraints. Before upgrading, review Microsoft’s release notes, breaking changes, known issues, hardware and software requirements, and the features that your current SQL Server environment depends on.
Frequently asked questions
Is SQL Server 2025 released?
Yes. SQL Server 2025 reached general availability on November 18, 2025.
What is the biggest new feature in SQL Server 2025?
SQL Server 2025 adds native vector capabilities for AI workloads, along with improvements to JSON, regular expressions, intelligent query processing, application development, and Fabric integration.
Is SSRS included in SQL Server 2025?
SQL Server 2025 does not introduce a new SSRS version. Microsoft has consolidated on-premises reporting services under Power BI Report Server.
What was removed from SQL Server 2025?
DQS and MDS are removed, while Synapse Link for SQL Server and Purview access policies are discontinued. Review Microsoft’s current documentation for replacement guidance.
SQL Server 2025 video
The following presentation provides additional background on SQL Server 2025 and its capabilities.
Conclusion
SQL Server 2025 is a major release focused on AI-ready data workloads, modern application development, database performance, security, and integration with Microsoft Fabric. If you are evaluating an upgrade, the most important areas to review are the new capabilities, edition changes, discontinued features, and breaking changes that could affect your existing environment.
Microsoft documentation: What’s new in SQL Server 2025 · SQL Server 2025 release notes · Editions and supported features · SQL Server 2025 lifecycle
