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by greggyb 3539 days ago
Memory-optimized transactional engine (since 2014). Native compilation of stored procedures. In-memory tables that can optionally be persisted to disk. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn133186.aspx

In-memory columnstore indices (since 2012, but realistically since 2014/2016). Huge benefit for large analytical queries. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg492088.aspx

Native row-level security (2016). https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn765131.aspx

Native always-encrypted support - database never sees plaintext (2016). Streamlines workflow, but this is doable with Postgres - questionable inclusion. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn765131.aspx

Dynamic data masking - don't use for security, though (2016). https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt130841.aspx

R engine in DB (2016). https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt604845.aspx

Others have covered the things that fall out of the relational engine below, including SSIS[0] for ETL and dataflow programming, SSAS[1] for semantic modeling and analytics workloads, SSRS[2][3] for reporting.

There's also MDS[4] for master data management, native support for an elastic database (partition across on-prem and Azure SQL)[5], built in HA [6], and a whole lot more around monitoring and instrumentation.

This is not meant as a fanboy post, but you asked what is part of SQL Server that you don't get with Postgres. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I work for a Microsoft partner so I get exposed to this stuff all day long.

[0] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms141026.aspx

[1] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb522607.aspx

[2] Traditional paginated reporting platform and also a newer mobile dashboarding tool based on an acquisition.

[3] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms159106.aspx

[4] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff487003.aspx

[5] https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql...

[6] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff877884.aspx