A refresher on geospatial data in SQL Server
2022TL; DR
A refresher on using geospatial data in SQL Server: data types, ingesting, visualizing, built-in functions. And we'll even get to use some shape files in there!
Session Details
Microsoft introduced geospatial data types already in SQL Server 2008, some enhancements followed in version 2012. Today, geo data is used almost everywhere - it's the foundation to everything position- or route-related. Time to refresh your memories of geometry and geography!
We'll walk through which data types are supported - from 0 to 2 dimensions, from points to polygons and some more - and see how to get spatial data into and out of SQL Server tables.
Then there are built-in functions to determine relationships between geo objects, such as intersection, inclusion or shortest distance. And of course there will be examples of practical applications of geospatial data.
3 things you'll get out of this session
Speakers
Thomas Hütter's other proposed sessions for 2026
Window functions in SQL Server - brush up your skills - 2026
Thomas Hütter's previous sessions
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