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Request: SQL Server 2016 ESU Year 3 – Licensing, Cost and Ordering Process

Moradi, Mahmoud 0 Reputation points
2026-01-12T15:43:11.4633333+00:00

Dear Microsoft Team,

we require an official statement regarding "Extended Security Updates (ESU) Year 3" for "Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition".

System details:

-Product: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition

-Deployment: Physical server

-Licensing model: Core-based, 8 cores (Microsoft minimum licensing requirement)

-Current SQL version: 13.0.5026 (SP2)

-Application environment: Siemens WinCC 7.5 SP1 (SQL upgrade is technically not possible)

-License owner: "Sartorius Stedim Systems GmbH"

Our questions:

  1. Is "ESU Year 3 (July 2028 – July 2029)" officially available for SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition?
  2. What are the "costs for ESU Year 3" for a system licensed with 8 cores (net price, if possible)?
  3. How does the "ordering and billing process" work?
    • Can the ESU be ordered directly by Sartorius as the license owner?
    • Is the billing performed annually or as a one-time charge for the ESU period?
  4. Are there any specific prerequisites or contractual requirements (e.g. licensing program or agreement type) that we should be aware of?
  5. Optional: Is it alternatively possible to obtain ESU Year 3 via "Azure Arc", and if so, what are the differences in terms of pricing and procurement?

We require this information for internal decision-making and to provide our customer with an official Microsoft statement.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind regards,
Mahmoud Moradi
Sartorius Stedim Systems GmbH

SQL Server Database Engine
0 comments

Answer recommended by moderator

  1. Erland Sommarskog 133.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-01-12T21:59:02.48+00:00

    This is a technical forum, and this is not the place to ask for official statements or pricing from Microsoft. You would need to contact your local Microsoft representative for commercial issues.

    I am not familiar with Siemens WinCC, so I don't know why you cannot upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server. I can understand that this specific version 7.5 SP1 does not support later versions of SQL Server. But in such case, I would expect Siemens to have a newer version that supports later version of SQL Server. Or have they discontinued the product? In such case, maybe you need to look for a replacement?

    What I'm getting at is that staying with a product that has gone out of extended support is not a long-term solution. And even in the short term, as Bruce indicates, it can be quite expensive.

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  1. Bruce (SqlWork.com) 83,821 Reputation points
    2026-01-12T17:41:24.03+00:00

    ESU costs double every year. Year 1 is 75% of license. By year 3 it’s over 3 times the cost of a license. Typically you need a current software assurance license to qualify for the program.

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