With SQL 2016 SP1 Microsoft has started to level features out across the editions. Many options that were previously enterprise only, can now be used in other editions, such as standard. Each edition still has differences in the amount of resources they can use, but this is a trend that makes sense. If you need a super high power resource intensive setup you would pay for enterprise, but if you are a smaller shop you could use standard with the much lower licensing footprint , but still use business level features for HA, DR, and Security.

This also means starting with SQL 2016 it will be easier to develop consistent solutions.

You can read the announcement here.

There are still a some features that are not available with standard edition such as Always On and Transparent Data Encryption. I hope in the future we will also see this leveled across editions.  Encryption and security I think should always be leveled and available in every edition. When it comes to improved DR / HA solutions such as always on they could throttle by number of secondaries, or only allowing read only secondaries in enterprise etc.

You can see a high level of differences for 2016 at the Microsoft SQL Server website or a more detailed list over at MSDN.

Are there any features you have found that previously handcuffed you while using Standard edition?

Let us know in the comments below.