A new release of SQL Server is like a new season of your favorite TV show. Some releases in the past were lacking; I always felt like SQL Server 2008 R2 was about as exciting as the Seinfeld finale. But Microsoft hasn't disappointed in recent years, and SQL Server 2019 is no exception.

There are some really exciting features here. Some are big-ticket items, like support for Secure Enclaves, which provide all the benefits of Always Encrypted but without the client round trips. Others are smaller but powerful improvements, like deferred table variable compilation, and better error messages. Some are in between, like enhancements to batch mode, more online operations, and query hints to target specific compatibility levels.

With plenty of demos, I'll show how these features will improve your performance, security, workflow, or all three. And when necessary, I'll point out pitfalls or gotchas that you won't find in the official documentation.

These and many other features are worth talking about, so let's talk about them!