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And in 2022, SSMS is still 32 bit

Pino Carafa 121 Reputation points
2022-03-15T18:32:39.91+00:00

Ok people. For years we've been fobbed off with "SSMS WiLL bEcOmE 64BiT oNcE ViSuaL sTuDiO dOeS". Well, it's 2022, VS2022 is 64 bit, but SSMS is still stuck in the 32 bit dark ages.

What's up with that?

SQL Server
SQL Server
A family of Microsoft relational database management and analysis systems for e-commerce, line-of-business, and data warehousing solutions.
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  1. Michael Taylor 51,346 Reputation points
    2022-03-15T20:11:38.313+00:00

    SSMS isn't based upon VS 2022 and therefore remains 32-bit. The SQL team doesn't actually manage the shell that they use, that is the VS team. The VS team ran into lots of challenges converting to 64-bit and broke all existing extensions in the process. To migrate SSMS to a 64-shell would require:

    • The VS team to produce the 64-shell. As of yet I haven't heard they have done that.
    • SSMS to update all its extensions to 64-bit.
    • Any extension provider to update to 64-bit.

    The work in VS 2022 is still ongoing in terms of getting everything updated so I believe it is premature to assume SSMS would be updated quickly. More importantly they are probably debating whether they even want to. Azure Data Studio has been sort of a parallel product that consumes more and more of SSMS features and is already 64-bit. The argument can be made that ADS would be the way forward here. Honestly I expect SSMS to go away at some point when ADS catches up to it in features.

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  2. Philippe Levesque 5,711 Reputation points
    2022-03-15T18:41:30.333+00:00

    Windows 10 and some other currently supported OS still support x86.

    For compatibility issue I understand the x86 release. Does it would add value to have it in 64 ?

    Windows 11 or newer OS does not support an x86's install, so the question is more when no OS supported by Microsoft will be in x86, then I guess the tool will be maybe migrated to x64. (but Windows 11 can run x86 program)

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  3. CathyJi-MSFT 21,136 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2022-03-16T02:32:21.913+00:00

    Hi @Pino Carafa ,

    Quote from MS document Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS);

    >SSMS is available only as a 32-bit application for Windows. If you need a tool that runs on operating systems other than Windows, we recommend Azure Data Studio. Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform tool that runs on macOS, Linux, as well as Windows. For details, see Azure Data Studio.

    Azure Data Studio is 64 bit. And the current release of SSMS supports the following 64-bit platforms when used with the latest available service pack:
    Supported Operating Systems:
    •Windows 11 (64-bit)
    •Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1607 (10.0.14393) or later
    •Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2022 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2019 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2016 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2012 (64-bit)
    •Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)

    By the way, you can submit your idea to the Microsoft feedback at this link https://feedback.azure.com/d365community/forum/04fe6ee0-3b25-ec11-b6e6-000d3a4f0da0 . This site will serve as a connecting point between you and Microsoft, and ultimately the large community for you and Microsoft to interact with. Your feedback enables Microsoft to offer the best software and deliver superior services, meanwhile you can learn more about and contribute to the exciting projects on Microsoft feedback.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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  4. Olaf Helper 43,246 Reputation points
    2022-03-16T06:51:10.773+00:00

    but SSMS is still stuck in the 32 bit dark ages.

    And what's the issue with that fact; it's 32 bit, but works?