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Announcing SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 4

The SQL Server team is excited to bring you the last service pack release for SQL Server 2012. SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 4 (SP4) in addition to a rollup of released hotfixes contains 20+ improvements centered around performance, scalability and diagnostics based on the feedback from customers and SQL community. These improvements enable SQL Server 2012 to perform faster and scale out of the box on modern hardware design. It also showcases the SQL Product Team's commitment to provide continued value into in-market releases.

SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 4 will include

  • All fixes and CUs for SQL 2012 up to and including SQL Server 2012 SP3 CU9.
  • Scalability and performance improvements for SQL Server.
  • Additional monitoring capabilities through enhancements in DMV, Extended Events and Query Plans
  • New improvements based on connect feedback items filed by the SQL Community.
  • Some of the Improvements originally introduced in SQL 2014 SP2 and SQL Server 2016 SP1.

SQL Server 2012 SP4 will be released next month in September early October 2017 and a release announcement with detailed information on improvements will be shared at the time of the release.

Update (10/5/2017): SQL Server 2012 SP4 is now available. Please see SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 4 (SP4) Released!. Thanks.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    May 24, 2017
    Will DBCC CLONEDATABASE make it into SP4 for SQL Server 2012?
    • Anonymous
      May 24, 2017
      Yes it will.
  • Anonymous
    May 24, 2017
    A very good idea to have an end of fully supported service pack, just in time for one more CU before it becomes under extended support. Too many shops will still be running SQL 2012 after July.ThanksChris
  • Anonymous
    May 26, 2017
    Hello,It is recommended to install SP4 now or it validates with app team if the app is compatible with SP4.
    • Anonymous
      June 05, 2017
      Hi Danny,There should not be any functional changes that require new full validations from an application standpoint. Plan affecting changes (if any) are released under a trace flag - so verify if you are running any plan affecting trace flag such as 4199. Still, we will defer to your internal processes about full validation. In any case, we always recommend staging your SP deployments.
  • Anonymous
    May 30, 2017
    Is it any plan to release SP4 for 2008 R2?
    • Anonymous
      June 05, 2017
      Hello Alex,No plans to release any further SPs for 2008 and 2008R2.
      • Anonymous
        June 08, 2017
        Thank you
    • Anonymous
      August 01, 2017
      Service Pack would be upgrade to SQL 2016 :)
  • Anonymous
    May 31, 2017
    Si Microsoft will support SQL Server 2012 for another year?
    • Anonymous
      June 05, 2017
      Hello,There are no changes to the overall lifecycle of SQL Server. See more details here.
      • Anonymous
        June 05, 2017
        Hi,For 'SQL Server 2012 Standard', it says 'not applicable' for the mainstream support end date and the notes says :Support ends 12 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first. Confusing! If i take the date from the SP3, it would mean i get supported till 7/11/2017. Will SP4 change that date?
        • Anonymous
          June 05, 2017
          The comment has been removed
          • Anonymous
            June 06, 2017
            Thanks a lot.Now its clear for me!
  • Anonymous
    June 08, 2017
    Any chance we'll see the previously Enterprise features that were introduced in 2016 SP1 standard making their way into 2012 SP4 Standard/BI? i.e. Compression, Partitioning etc
    • Anonymous
      June 23, 2017
      Hi James,The programming features made available for SQL Server 2016 with SP1 are forward only, meaning SQL Server 2012 and 2014 are not included.
  • Anonymous
    June 13, 2017
    Have they nailed down a release date yet?
    • Anonymous
      June 22, 2017
      Its now slated to release in September 2017.
  • Anonymous
    June 14, 2017
    Any news on release date for SP4?
    • Anonymous
      June 22, 2017
      Its now slated to release in September 2017.
  • Anonymous
    June 20, 2017
    Any update on SQL2012 SP4 release date?
    • Anonymous
      June 22, 2017
      Its now slated to release in September 2017.
  • Anonymous
    June 20, 2017
    Is there a firm release date for SQL 2012 SP4? How will this affect the Mainstream support for this release?
    • Anonymous
      June 21, 2017
      Hello Kim, lifecycle for SQL Server 2012 doesn't change with this last Service Pack, 7/11/2017 is the end of mainstream support, 7/12/2022 for end of extended support.
      • Anonymous
        July 03, 2017
        The comment has been removed
        • Anonymous
          July 03, 2017
          Hello Dan, it will not. "Mainstream Support" ends on 7/11/2017 (5y after RTM shipped) and “Extended Support” at 7/12/2022 (10y after RTM shipped).
  • Anonymous
    June 21, 2017
    Any news?
    • Anonymous
      June 22, 2017
      Its now slated to release in September 2017.
  • Anonymous
    July 04, 2017
    Is it any plan to release CU1 after SP4 release?
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      No, SP4 is the last servicing release for SQL Server 2012.
  • Anonymous
    September 06, 2017
    The comment has been removed
    • Anonymous
      September 08, 2017
      These will not be available in SQL Server 2012.
  • Anonymous
    September 07, 2017
    2 questionsIs there a date set for release?Will SP3 CU10 be included in SP4?
    • Anonymous
      September 08, 2017
      This is the last Service Pack, and so includes all previous updates.
  • Anonymous
    September 21, 2017
    Is it still targeted for september release. Any confirmed date for the release ?
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 25, 2017
    Is there any update on the availability of this service pack? Given its been pushed back once already and we are at the 26th of September is it being pushed back again?
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Yes, the date has been moved. Please look at the updated blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 26, 2017
    Hello,Any news on release date for SP4?Thanks!
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 26, 2017
    Only 4 more sleeps left :-)
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, a few more Geoff. The date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 27, 2017
    please let us know when this is being released. there is a lot of planning and testing around new service packs and we are treading water here...
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 27, 2017
    May I know, when SQL 2012 -sp4 going to release in the market .
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    September 27, 2017
    Is this still scheduled for September 2017?
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
      • Anonymous
        October 03, 2017
        Thanks for the update.
  • Anonymous
    September 28, 2017
    Hi, any news about MS SQL SERVER 2012 sp4 release?
    • Anonymous
      September 29, 2017
      Hi, the date has been updated in this blog post.
  • Anonymous
    October 02, 2017
    Lies!where is the servvicepack now ?
    • Anonymous
      October 02, 2017
      The release timeline was updated in the blog back in Sep-27.
  • Anonymous
    October 03, 2017
    Good day, eh.According to the following MSDN Blog link, the new servicing policy for SQL Server means no more SPs and only CUs starting with SQL Server 2017. Please verify that this does not include SQL 2012 and that SP4 will still be released.https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlreleaseservices/announcing-the-modern-servicing-model-for-sql-server/Thanks,Bob.
    • Anonymous
      October 03, 2017
      Hello Bob,Please refer to the note in that blog post, and also Question 18 in the same blog post.Thank you
  • Anonymous
    October 05, 2017
    The comment has been removed
    • Anonymous
      October 05, 2017
      Hi Vasu, we'll update to the precise date later today.
  • Anonymous
    October 13, 2017
    If you aren't having issues with SP3, is it necessary to install this? I don't see anything about security issues or fixes. I'm assuming it's "recommended"....
  • Anonymous
    November 21, 2017
    Is there any issues in azure active directory sync when updating SQL server 2012 SP4?
    • Anonymous
      March 07, 2018
      If you are facing an issue, please contact CSS. We have not heard of any issue reported by a customer.