SQL Server 2014 service pack weird listing?

Question

Hello, recently I applied SQL Server 2014 service pack 3 successfully.

Shortly afterwards when running Windows Server 2012 O.S. updates the following line item is listed as available to apply:

Security Update for SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 2 GDR (KB4019093)

Why is this lower SQL service pack being listed as available when I already applied higher version service pack 3 which should include all previous lower version updates?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Good day ?!?

Why is this lower SQL service pack being listed as available

It is not. re-read what it says.

Security Update for SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 2 GDR (KB4019093)

Notice the word "for". This is not an older version of SQL Server Service pack, but a security which was released for the older version.

In fact, this update is applicable to the Analysis Services feature installed in SQL Server 2014 SP2 instances.

You can read more in the download page:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55742

Note that when you install SQL Server you have many shared tools and some tools might be the same as older version. So you might get such scenario where entity of SQL Server 2008 is updated when you already installed SQL Server 2019 (for example). In addition remember that updates might come few years after the product which mean that in the year 2019 you might get update for app/tool from 2012

Answer 2

Very interesting. Thanks bunch for the very helpful insight.