Traditional data storage inside SQL Server has used the row-storage format, where the data for an entire row is stored together on the data pages inside the database. SQL Server 2012 introduced a new storage format: columnstore. This format pivots the data storage, combining the data from a single column and storing the data together on the data pages. This storage format provides the ability of massive compression of data; it's orders of magnitude better than traditional row storage. Initially only non-clustered columnstore indexes were possible. With SQL Server 2014, clustered columnstore indexes were introduced, expanding the usability of the feature greatly. Finally, with SQL Server 2016, updateable columnstore indexes and support for In-Memory columnstore indexes have been introduced. The potential performance improvements through these improvements are huge.