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Applies to:
SQL Server 2012 (11.x)
SQL Server 2014 (12.x)
This article explains your options for addressing SQL Server products that reach end of support.
Each version of SQL Server is backed by a minimum of 10 years support, which includes five years in mainstream support, and five years in extended support:
End of support (also sometimes known as end of life) indicates that a product has reached the end of its lifecycle, and servicing and support is no longer available for the product. For more information about the Microsoft Lifecycle, see Microsoft Lifecycle Policy.
Once your SQL Server reaches the end of support stage, you can choose to:
For more information, guidance, and tools to plan and automate your upgrade or migration, see:
This table provides migration options for a SQL Server instance that is out of extended support, running on-premises.
Migration option | Description |
---|---|
Modernize to Azure | |
Move to PaaS with Azure SQL Managed Instance | Lift-and-shift to SQL Managed Instance for fully managed services that always run on evergreen features. In other words, the end of End of Support. |
Move to IaaS with SQL Server on Azure VM | Upgrade to latest SQL Server on Azure VMs, or move "as-is" with SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and SQL Server 2014 (12.x), and get 3 years of Extended Security Updates for free. |
Move to Azure VMware Solution | Move "as-is" with SQL Server out of extended support, and get 3 years of Extended Security Updates for free. |
Modernize on-premises | |
Upgrade on-premises | Upgrade to the latest versions of SQL Server and Windows Server. |
Stay on-premises | |
Purchase extended security updates | Keep server + application as-is for up to three years. |
This article describes the benefits and considerations for each approach, with more resources to help guide your decision-making process.
Once your SQL Server reaches the end of support, you can choose to upgrade to a newer and supported version of SQL Server. This option gives you environmental consistency, allows you to use the latest feature set, and adopts the new version's support lifecycle.
Latest technology: New SQL Server versions introduce innovations that include performance, scalability, and high-availability features, and improved security.
Control: You have the most control over features and scalability, because you manage both hardware and software.
Familiar environment: If you're upgrading from an older version of SQL Server, this environment is the most similar.
Wide applicability: Applicable for database applications of any kind, including OLTP systems and data warehousing.
Low risk for database applications: When the database compatibility is at the same level as the legacy system, existing database applications are protected from functional and performance changes that can have detrimental effects. An application only needs to be fully recertified when it requires features available under a newer database compatibility setting. For more information, see Compatibility certification.
Cost: This approach requires the biggest up-front investment and the most ongoing management. You have to buy, maintain, and manage your own hardware and software.
Downtime: There could be downtime depending on your upgrade strategy. There's also an inherent risk of running into issues during an in-place upgrade process.
Complexity: If you're on an unsupported version of Windows Server, you also need to upgrade the OS as the newer versions of SQL Server might not be supported on those Windows versions. There's added risk during the OS upgrade process, so doing a side-by-side migration might be the more prudent, yet more costly, approach. In-place OS upgrades aren't supported on failover cluster instances for Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
Note
Cluster OS rolling upgrades are available starting with Windows Server 2016.
What's new in:
Hardware requirements:
Supported version and edition upgrades:
Tools:
For more information about new features in SQL Server 2022 (16.x), see SQL Server 2022 comparison.
If you'd like to take advantage of offloading maintenance and cost, but find the feature set of an Azure SQL Database single database too limiting, you can move to SQL Managed Instance. A managed instance closely resembles an on-premises SQL Server, without having to worry about such things as hardware failure, or patching. SQL Managed Instance is a collection of system and user databases with a shared set of resources that is lift-and-shift ready, and can be used for most migrations to the cloud. This option is best for new applications or existing on-premises applications that want to use the latest stable SQL Server Database Engine features and that are migrated to the cloud with minimal changes.
Tools:
If you're not ready to upgrade, and you're not ready to move to the cloud, you have the ability to purchase an Extended Security Updates subscription to receive Critical security updates for up to three years past the end of the support date.
Another option is to migrate your workload to an Azure Virtual Machine running SQL Server. You can migrate your system as-is and keep your end-of-support SQL Server, or you can upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server. This option is best for migrations and applications requiring OS-level access. SQL Server virtual machines are lift-and-shift ready for existing applications that require fast migration to the cloud with minimal or no changes.
Free Extended Security Updates: If you choose to keep your SQL Server as-is, using SQL Server 2012 (11.x), you can get free Extended Security Updates for three years past the end of support date, even without having Software Assurance.
Cost-saving: You save the cost of hardware and server software, only paying for hourly usage.
Lift-and-shift: You can lift-and-shift your SQL Server and application infrastructure into the cloud with minimal or no changes.
Hosted environment: You get the benefits of a hosted environment, such as offloading hardware, and software maintenance.
Automation: If you're on Windows Server 2008 R2 and later versions, you get the benefit of automated patching, and automated backups.
OS Control: You have control over the operating system environment, but with the familiar feature set of SQL Server.
Rapid deployment: You can quickly deploy from a library of virtual machine images.
License mobility: You can bring your license, allowing you to decrease operating cost.
High availability: You benefit from the built-in virtual machine availability by the Azure infrastructure with up to 99.99% availability, and take advantage of SQL Server high availability options such as failover cluster instances and Always On availability groups.
Low risk for database applications: When the database compatibility is at the same level as the legacy databases, existing database applications are protected from functional and performance changes that can have detrimental effects. An application only needs to be fully recertified when it requires features available under a newer database compatibility setting. For more information, see Compatibility certification.
Azure VMware Solution allows you to run your VMware environment in Azure with familiar tooling and a quick migration path.
Running SQL Server in VMs in this environment provides you with the free ESU benefits extended to running in Azure. For information on how to configure ESUs in Azure VMware Solution review: ESUs for SQL Server and Windows Server in Azure VMware Solution VMs.
If you want to offload maintenance, reduce costs, and eliminate the need to upgrade in the future, you can move your workload to Azure SQL Database single database. This option is best for modern cloud applications that want to use the latest stable SQL Server Database Engine features and have time constraints in development and marketing.
Tools:
The following table provides an approximation of lifecycle dates for SQL Server products. For greater details and accuracy, see the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy page.
Version | Release year | Mainstream Support end year | Extended Support end year |
---|---|---|---|
SQL Server 2022 | 2022 | 2028 | 2033 |
SQL Server 2019 | 2019 | 2025 | 2030 |
SQL Server 2017 | 2017 | 2022 | 2027 |
SQL Server 2016 | 2016 | 2021 | 2026 |
SQL Server 2014 | 2014 | 2019 | 2024 |
SQL Server 2012 | 2012 | 2017 | 2022 |
SQL Server 2008 R2 | 2010 | 2012 | 2019 |
SQL Server 2008 | 2008 | 2012 | 2019 |
SQL Server 2005 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 |
SQL Server 2000 | 2000 | 2005 | 2013 |
Important
If any discrepancy exists between this table, and the Microsoft Lifecycle page, then the Microsoft Lifecycle supersedes this table, as this table is meant to be used as an approximate reference.
Events
Mar 31, 11 PM - Apr 2, 11 PM
The biggest SQL, Fabric and Power BI learning event. March 31 – April 2. Use code FABINSIDER to save $400.
Register todayTraining
Learning path
Migrate SQL Server workloads to Azure SQL DP-3001 - Training
Learn how to perform online and offline SQL Server migrations to Azure SQL. (DP-3001)
Certification
Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate - Certifications
Administer an SQL Server database infrastructure for cloud, on-premises and hybrid relational databases using the Microsoft PaaS relational database offerings.
Documentation
SQL Server 2019 - Microsoft Lifecycle
SQL Server 2019 follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy.
SQL Server 2016 - Microsoft Lifecycle
SQL Server 2016 follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy.
SQL Server 2017 - Microsoft Lifecycle
SQL Server 2017 follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy.