Can't create column store index on SQL Server 2012

Question

Got this error when trying to create a column store index on a fact table:

Msg 35315, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
CREATE INDEX statement failed because a columnstore index cannot be created in this edition of SQL Server. See Books Online for more details on feature support in different SQL Server editions.

This is from select @@VERSION

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (SP1) - 11.0.3381.0 (X64) 
Aug 23 2013 20:08:13 
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
Standard Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.2 <X64> (Build 9200: ) (Hypervisor)

Answer 1

SQL Server Standard edition doesn't support columnstore indexes. From the version comparison for SQL Server 2012, you need Enterprise edition.

Although SQL Server 2012 is specified here, it's worth noting that SQL Server 2016 with Service Pack 1 now allows columnstore indexes to be created across all editions. See here for further details.