Deprecated Database Engine Features in SQL Server 2014

This topic describes the deprecated SQL Server Database Engine features that are still available in SQL Server 2014. These features are scheduled to be removed in a future release of SQL Server. Deprecated features should not be used in new applications.

You can monitor the use of deprecated features by using the SQL Server Deprecated Features Object performance counter and trace events. For more information, see Use SQL Server Objects.

Features Not Supported in the Next Version of SQL Server

The following SQL Server Database Engine features will not be supported in the next version of SQL Server. Do not use these features in new development work, and modify applications that currently use these features as soon as possible. The Feature name value appears in trace events as the ObjectName and in performance counters and sys.dm_os_performance_counters as the instance name. The Feature ID value appears in trace events as the ObjectId.

Category	Deprecated feature	Replacement	Feature name	Feature ID
Backup and Restore	RESTORE { DATABASE | LOG } WITH [MEDIA]PASSWORD continues to be deprecated. BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } WITH PASSWORD and BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } WITH MEDIAPASSWORD are discontinued.	None.	BACKUP DATABASE or LOG WITH PASSWORD BACKUP DATABASE or LOG WITH MEDIAPASSWORD	104 103
Compatibility levels	Upgrade from version 90 (SQL Server 2005 Database Engine).	Compatibility levels are only available for the last two versions. For more information about compatibility levels, see ALTER DATABASE Compatibility Level (Transact-SQL). In SQL Server 2014, you can upgrade a SQL Server 2005 database, but the compatibility level is updated from 90 to 100 during the upgrade operation.	Database compatibility level 90	107
Database objects	Ability to return result sets from triggers	None	Returning results from trigger	12
Encryption	Encryption using RC4 or RC4_128 is deprecated and is scheduled to be removed in the next version. Decrypting RC4 and RC4_128 is not deprecated.	Use another encryption algorithm such as AES.	Deprecated encryption algorithm	253
Remote servers	sp_addremotelogin sp_addserver sp_dropremotelogin sp_helpremotelogin sp_remoteoption	Replace remote servers by using linked servers. sp_addserver can only be used with the local option.	sp_addremotelogin sp_addserver sp_dropremotelogin sp_helpremotelogin sp_remoteoption	70 69 71 72 73
Remote servers	@@remserver	Replace remote servers by using linked servers.	None	None
Remote servers	SET REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS	Replace remote servers by using linked servers.	SET REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS	110
Set options	SET ROWCOUNT for INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements	TOP keyword	SET ROWCOUNT	109
Table hints	HOLDLOCK table hint without parenthesis.	Use HOLDLOCK with parenthesis.	HOLDLOCK table hint without parenthesis	167
Tools	sqlmaint Utility	Use the SQL Server maintenance plan feature	None	None

Features Not Supported in a Future Version of SQL Server

The following SQL Server Database Engine features are supported in the next version of SQL Server, but will be removed in a later version. The specific version of SQL Server has not been determined.

Category	Deprecated feature	Replacement	Feature name	Feature ID
Compatibility levels	sp_dbcmptlevel	ALTER DATABASE ... SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL. For more information, see ALTER DATABASE Compatibility Level (Transact-SQL).	sp_dbcmptlevel	80
Compatibility levels	Database compatibility level 100	Plan to upgrade the database and application for a future release.	Database compatibility level 100	108
XML	Inline XDR Schema Generation	The XMLDATA directive to the FOR XML option is deprecated. Use XSD generation in the case of RAW and AUTO modes. There is no replacement for the XMLDATA directive in EXPLICT mode.	XMLDATA	181
Backup and restore	BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } TO TAPE BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } TO device_that_is_a_tape	BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } TO DISK BACKUP { DATABASE | LOG } TO device_that_is_a_disk	BACKUP DATABASE or LOG TO TAPE	235
Backup and restore	sp_addumpdevice'tape'	sp_addumpdevice'disk'	ADDING TAPE DEVICE	236
Backup and restore	sp_helpdevice	sys.backup_devices	sp_helpdevice	100
Collations	Korean_Wansung_Unicode Lithuanian_Classic SQL_AltDiction_CP1253_CS_AS	None. These collations exist in SQL Server 2005, but are not visible through fn_helpcollations.	Korean_Wansung_Unicode Lithuanian_Classic SQL_AltDiction_CP1253_CS_AS	191 192 194
Collations	Hindi Macedonian	These collations exist in SQL Server 2005 and higher, but are not visible through fn_helpcollations. Use Macedonian_FYROM_90 and Indic_General_90 instead.	Hindi Macedonian	190 193
Collations	Azeri_Latin_90 Azeri_Cyrilllic_90	Azeri_Latin_100 Azeri_Cyrilllic_100	Azeri_Latin_90 Azeri_Cyrilllic_90	232 233
Configuration	SET ANSI_NULLS OFF and ANSI_NULLS OFF database option SET ANSI_PADDING OFF and ANSI_PADDING OFF database option SET CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL OFF and CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL OFF database option SET OFFSETS	None. ANSI_NULLS, ANSI_PADDING and CONCAT_NULLS_YIELDS_NULL will always be set to ON. SET OFFSETS will be unavailable.	SET ANSI_NULLS OFF SET ANSI_PADDING OFF SET CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL OFF SET OFFSETS ALTER DATABASE SET ANSI_NULLS OFF ALTER DATABASE SET ANSI_PADDING OFF ALTER DATABASE SET CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL OFF	111 113 112 36 111 113 112
Data types	sp_addtype sp_droptype	CREATE TYPE DROP TYPE	sp_addtype sp_droptype	62 63
Data types	timestamp syntax for rowversion data type	rowversion data type syntax	TIMESTAMP	158
Data types	Ability to insert null values into timestamp columns.	Use a DEFAULT instead.	INSERT NULL into TIMESTAMP columns	179
Data types	'text in row' table option	Use varchar(max), nvarchar(max), and varbinary(max) data types. For more information, see sp_tableoption (Transact-SQL).	Text in row table option	9
Data types	Data types: text ntext image	Use varchar(max), nvarchar(max), and varbinary(max) data types.	Data types: text, ntext or image	4
Database management	sp_attach_db sp_attach_single_file_db	CREATE DATABASE statement with the FOR ATTACH option. To rebuild multiple log files, when one or more have a new location, use the FOR ATTACH_REBUILD_LOG option.	sp_attach_db sp_attach_single_file_db	81 82
Database objects	CREATE DEFAULT DROP DEFAULT sp_bindefault sp_unbindefault	DEFAULT keyword in CREATE TABLE and ALTER TABLE	CREATE_DROP_DEFAULT sp_bindefault sp_unbindefault	162 64 65
Database objects	CREATE RULE DROP RULE sp_bindrule sp_unbindrule	CHECK keyword in CREATE TABLE and ALTER TABLE	CREATE_DROP_RULE sp_bindrule sp_unbindrule	161 66 67
Database objects	sp_change_users_login	Use ALTER USER.	sp_change_users_login	231
Database objects	sp_depends	sys.dm_sql_referencing_entities and sys.dm_sql_referenced_entities	sp_depends	19
Database objects	sp_renamedb	MODIFY NAME in ALTER DATABASE	sp_renamedb	79
Database objects	sp_getbindtoken	Use MARS or distributed transactions.	sp_getbindtoken	98
Database options	sp_bindsession	Use MARS or distributed transactions.	sp_bindsession	97
Database options	sp_resetstatus	ALTER DATABASE SET { ONLINE | EMERGENCY }	sp_resetstatus	83
Database options	TORN_PAGE_DETECTION option of ALTER DATABASE	PAGE_VERIFY TORN_PAGE_DETECTION option of ALTER DATABASE	ALTER DATABASE WITH TORN_PAGE_DETECTION	102
DBCC	DBCC DBREINDEX	REBUILD option of ALTER INDEX.	DBCC DBREINDEX	11
DBCC	DBCC INDEXDEFRAG	REORGANIZE option of ALTER INDEX	DBCC INDEXDEFRAG	18
DBCC	DBCC SHOWCONTIG	sys.dm_db_index_physical_stats	DBCC SHOWCONTIG	10
DBCC	DBCC PINTABLE DBCC UNPINTABLE	Has no effect.	DBCC [UN]PINTABLE	189
Extended properties	Level0type = 'type' and Level0type = 'USER' to add extended properties to level-1 or level-2 type objects.	Use Level0type = 'USER' only to add an extended property directly to a user or role. Use Level0type = 'SCHEMA' to add an extended property to level-1 types such as TABLE or VIEW, or level-2 types such as COLUMN or TRIGGER. For more information, see sp_addextendedproperty (Transact-SQL).	EXTPROP_LEVEL0TYPE EXTPROP_LEVEL0USER	13 14
Extended stored procedure programming	srv_alloc srv_convert srv_describe srv_getbindtoken srv_got_attention srv_message_handler srv_paramdata srv_paraminfo srv_paramlen srv_parammaxlen srv_paramname srv_paramnumber srv_paramset srv_paramsetoutput srv_paramstatus srv_paramtype srv_pfield srv_pfieldex srv_rpcdb srv_rpcname srv_rpcnumber srv_rpcoptions srv_rpcowner srv_rpcparams srv_senddone srv_sendmsg srv_sendrow srv_setcoldata srv_setcollen srv_setutype srv_willconvert srv_wsendmsg	Use CLR Integration instead.	XP_API	20
Extended stored procedure programming	sp_addextendedproc sp_dropextendedproc sp_helpextendedproc	Use CLR Integration instead.	sp_addextendedproc sp_dropextendedproc sp_helpextendedproc	94 95 96
Extended stored procedures	xp_grantlogin xp_revokelogin xp_loginConfig	Use CREATE LOGIN Use DROP LOGIN IsIntegratedSecurityOnly argument of SERVERPROPERTY	xp_grantlogin xp_revokelogin xp_loginconfig	44 45 59
Functions	fn_get_sql	sys.dm_exec_sql_text	fn_get_sql	151
High availability	database mirroring	Always On Availability Groups If your edition of SQL Server does not support Always On Availability Groups, use log shipping.	DATABASE_MIRRORING	267
Index options	sp_indexoption	ALTER INDEX	sp_indexoption	78
Index options	CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, or CREATE INDEX syntax without parentheses around the options.	Rewrite the statement to use the current syntax.	INDEX_OPTION	33
Instance options	sp_configure option 'allow updates'	System tables are no longer updatable. Setting has no effect.	sp_configure 'allow updates'	173
Instance options	sp_configure options: 'locks' 'open objects' 'set working set size'	Now automatically configured. Setting has no effect.	sp_configure 'locks' sp_configure 'open objects' sp_configure 'set working set size'	174 175 176
Instance options	sp_configure option 'priority boost'	System tables are no longer updatable. Setting has no effect. Use the Windows start /high ... program.exe option instead.	sp_configure 'priority boost'	199
Instance options	sp_configure option 'remote proc trans'	System tables are no longer updatable. Setting has no effect.	sp_configure 'remote proc trans'	37
Linked servers	Specifying the SQLOLEDB provider for linked servers.	SQL Server Native Client (SQLNCLI)	SQLOLEDDB for linked servers	19
Locking	sp_lock	sys.dm_tran_locks	sp_lock	99
Metadata	FILE_ID INDEXKEY_PROPERTY	FILE_IDEX sys.index_columns	FILE_ID INDEXKEY_PROPERTY	15 17
Native XML Web Services	The CREATE ENDPOINT or ALTER ENDPOINT statement with the FOR SOAP option. sys.endpoint_webmethods sys.soap_endpoints	Use Windows Communications Foundation (WCF) or ASP.NET instead.	CREATE/ALTER ENDPOINT sys.endpoint_webmethods EXT_soap_endpoints sys.soap_endpoints	21 22 23
Removable databases	sp_certify_removable sp_create_removable	sp_detach_db	sp_certify_removable sp_create_removable	74 75
Removable databases	sp_dbremove	DROP DATABASE	sp_dbremove	76
Security	The ALTER LOGIN WITH SET CREDENTIAL syntax	Replaced by the new ALTER LOGIN ADD and DROP CREDENTIAL syntax	ALTER LOGIN WITH SET CREDENTIAL	230
Security	sp_addapprole sp_dropapprole	CREATE APPLICATION ROLE DROP APPLICATION ROLE	sp_addapprole sp_dropapprole	53 54
Security	sp_addlogin sp_droplogin	CREATE LOGIN DROP LOGIN	sp_addlogin sp_droplogin	39 40
Security	sp_adduser sp_dropuser	CREATE USER DROP USER	sp_adduser sp_dropuser	49 50
Security	sp_grantdbaccess sp_revokedbaccess	CREATE USER DROP USER	sp_grantdbaccess sp_revokedbaccess	51 52
Security	sp_addrole sp_droprole	CREATE ROLE DROP ROLE	sp_addrole sp_droprole	56 57
Security	sp_approlepassword sp_password	ALTER APPLICATION ROLE ALTER LOGIN	sp_approlepassword sp_password	55 46
Security	sp_changeobjectowner	ALTER SCHEMA or ALTER AUTHORIZATION	sp_changeobjectowner	58
Security	sp_control_dbmasterkey_password	A master key must exist and password must be correct.	sp_control_dbmasterkey_password	274
Security	sp_defaultdb sp_defaultlanguage	ALTER LOGIN	sp_defaultdb sp_defaultlanguage	47 48
Security	sp_denylogin sp_grantlogin sp_revokelogin	ALTER LOGIN DISABLE CREATE LOGIN DROP LOGIN	sp_denylogin sp_grantlogin sp_revokelogin	42 41 43
Security	USER_ID	DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_ID	USER_ID	16
Security	sp_srvrolepermission sp_dbfixedrolepermission	These stored procedures return information that was correct in SQL Server 2000. The output does not reflect changes to the permissions hierarchy implemented in SQL Server 2008. For more information, see Permissions of Fixed Server Roles.	sp_srvrolepermission sp_dbfixedrolepermission	61 60
Security	GRANT ALL DENY ALL REVOKE ALL	GRANT, DENY, and REVOKE specific permissions.	ALL Permission	35
Security	PERMISSIONS intrinsic function	Query sys.fn_my_permissions instead.	PERMISSIONS	170
Security	SETUSER	EXECUTE AS	SETUSER	165
Security	RC4 and DESX encryption algorithms	Use another algorithm such as AES.	DESX algorithm	238
SET options	SET FMTONLY	sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set (Transact-SQL), sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set_for_object (Transact-SQL), sp_describe_first_result_set (Transact-SQL), and sp_describe_undeclared_parameters (Transact-SQL).	SET FMTONLY	250
Server Configuration Options	c2 audit option default trace enabled option	common criteria compliance enabled Server Configuration Option Extended Events	sp_configure 'c2 audit mode' sp_configure 'default trace enabled'	252 253
SMO classes	Microsoft.SQLServer.Management.Smo.Information class Microsoft.SQLServer.Management.Smo.Settings class Microsoft.SQLServer.Management.Smo.DatabaseOptions class Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.DatabaseDdlTrigger.NotForReplication property	Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server class Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server class Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Database class None	None	None
SQL Server Agent	net send notification Pager notification ActiveX subsystem	E-mail notification E-mail notification Command or PowerShell scripts	None	None
SQL Server Management Studio	Solution Explorer integration in SQL Server Management Studio Source Control integration in SQL Server Management Studio		None	None
System Stored Procedures	sp_db_increased_partitions	None. Support for increased partitions is available by default in SQL Server 2014.	sp_db_increased_partitions	253
System tables	sysaltfiles syscacheobjects syscolumns syscomments sysconfigures sysconstraints syscurconfigs sysdatabases sysdepends sysdevices sysfilegroups sysfiles sysforeignkeys sysfulltextcatalogs sysindexes sysindexkeys syslockinfo syslogins sysmembers sysmessages sysobjects sysoledbusers sysopentapes sysperfinfo syspermissions sysprocesses sysprotects sysreferences sysremotelogins sysservers systypes sysusers	Compatibility views. For more information, see Compatibility Views (Transact-SQL). ** Important ** The compatibility views do not expose metadata for features that were introduced in SQL Server 2005. We recommend that you upgrade your applications to use catalog views. For more information, see Catalog Views (Transact-SQL).	sysaltfiles syscacheobjects syscolumns syscomments sysconfigures sysconstraints syscurconfigs sysdatabases sysdepends sysdevices sysfilegroups sysfiles sysforeignkeys sysfulltextcatalogs sysindexes sysindexkeys syslockinfo syslogins sysmembers sysmessages sysobjects sysoledbusers sysopentapes sysperfinfo syspermissions sysprocesses sysprotects sysreferences sysremotelogins sysservers systypes sysusers	141 None 133 126 146 131 147 142 123 144 128 127 130 122 132 134 143 140 119 137 125 139 145 157 121 153 120 129 138 136 135 124
System tables	sys.numbered_procedures sys.numbered_procedure_parameters	None	numbered_procedures numbered_procedure_parameters	148 149
System functions	fn_virtualservernodes fn_servershareddrives	sys.dm_os_cluster_nodes sys.dm_io_cluster_shared_drives	fn_virtualservernodes fn_servershareddrives	155 156
System views	sys.sql_dependencies	sys.sql_expression_dependencies	sys.sql_dependencies	198
Table compression	The use of the vardecimal storage format.	Vardecimal storage format is deprecated. SQL Server 2014 data compression, compresses decimal values as well as other data types. We recommend that you use data compression instead of the vardecimal storage format.	Vardecimal storage format	200
Table compression	Use of the sp_db_vardecimal_storage_format procedure.	Vardecimal storage format is deprecated. SQL Server 2014 data compression, compresses decimal values as well as other data types. We recommend that you use data compression instead of the vardecimal storage format.	sp_db_vardecimal_storage_format	201
Table compression	Use of the sp_estimated_rowsize_reduction_for_vardecimal procedure.	Use data compression and the sp_estimate_data_compression_savings procedure instead.	sp_estimated_rowsize_reduction_for_vardecimal	202
Table hints	Specifying NOLOCK or READUNCOMMITTED in the FROM clause of an UPDATE or DELETE statement.	Remove the NOLOCK or READUNCOMMITTED table hints from the FROM clause.	NOLOCK or READUNCOMMITTED in UPDATE or DELETE	1
Table hints	Specifying table hints without using the WITH keyword.	Use WITH.	Table hint without WITH	8
Table hints	INSERT_HINTS		INSERT_HINTS	34
Textpointers	WRITETEXT UPDATETEXT READTEXT	None	UPDATETEXT or WRITETEXT READTEXT	115 114
Textpointers	TEXTPTR() TEXTVALID()	None	TEXTPTR TEXTVALID	5 6
Transact-SQL	:: function-calling sequence	Replaced by SELECT column_list FROM sys.<function_name>(). For example, replace SELECT * FROM ::fn_virtualfilestats(2,1)with SELECT * FROM sys.fn_virtualfilestats(2,1).	'::' function calling syntax	166
Transact-SQL	Three-part and four-part column references.	Two-part names is the standard-compliant behavior.	More than two-part column name	3
Transact-SQL	A string enclosed in quotation marks used as a column alias for an expression in a SELECT list: 'string_alias' = expression	expression [AS] column_alias expression [AS] [column_alias] expression [AS] "column_alias" expression [AS] 'column_alias' column_alias = expression	String literals as column aliases	184
Transact-SQL	Numbered procedures	None. Do not use.	ProcNums	160
Transact-SQL	table_name.index_name syntax in DROP INDEX	index_name ON table_name syntax in DROP INDEX.	DROP INDEX with two-part name	163
Transact-SQL	Not ending Transact-SQL statements with a semicolon.	End Transact-SQL statements with a semicolon ( ; ).	None	None
Transact-SQL	GROUP BY ALL	Use custom case-by-case solution with UNION or derived table.	GROUP BY ALL	169
Transact-SQL	ROWGUIDCOL as a column name in DML statements.	Use $rowguid.	ROWGUIDCOL	182
Transact-SQL	IDENTITYCOL as a column name in DML statements.	Use $identity.	IDENTITYCOL	183
Transact-SQL	Use of #, ## as temporary table and temporary stored procedure names.	Use at least one additional character.	'#' and '##' as the name of temporary tables and stored procedures	185
Transact-SQL	Use of @, @@, or @@ as Transact-SQL identifiers.	Do not use @ or @@ or names that begin with @@ as identifiers.	'@' and names that start with '@@' as Transact-SQL identifiers	186.
Transact-SQL	Use of DEFAULT keyword as default value.	Do not use the word DEFAULT as a default value.	DEFAULT keyword as a default value	187
Transact-SQL	Use of a space as a separator between table hints.	Use a comma to separate table hints.	Multiple table hints without comma	168
Transact-SQL	The select list of an aggregate indexed view must contain COUNT_BIG (*) in 90 compatibility mode	Use COUNT_BIG (*).	Index view select list without COUNT_BIG(*)	2
Transact-SQL	The indirect application of table hints to an invocation of a multi-statement table-valued function (TVF) through a view.	None.	Indirect TVF hints	7
Transact-SQL	ALTER DATABASE syntax: MODIFY FILEGROUP READONLY MODIFY FILEGROUP READWRITE	MODIFY FILEGROUP READ_ONLY MODIFY FILEGROUP READ_WRITE	MODIFY FILEGROUP READONLY MODIFY FILEGROUP READWRITE	195 196
Other	DB-Library Embedded SQL for C	Although the Database Engine still supports connections from existing applications that use the DB-Library and Embedded SQL APIs, it does not include the files or documentation required to do programming work on applications that use these APIs. A future version of the SQL Server Database Engine will drop support for connections from DB-Library or Embedded SQL applications. Do not use DB-Library or Embedded SQL to develop new applications. Remove any dependencies on either DB-Library or Embedded SQL when you are modifying existing applications. Instead of these APIs, use the SQLClient namespace or an API such as ODBC. SQL Server 2014 does not include the DB-Library DLL required to run these applications. To run DB-Library or Embedded SQL applications, you must have available the DB-Library DLL from SQL Server version 6.5, SQL Server 7.0, or SQL Server 2000.	None	None
Tools	SQL Server Profiler for Trace Capture	Use Extended Events Profiler embedded in SQL Server Management Studio. Note: Continue using SQL Server Profiler for Trace Capture for Analysis Services workloads.	SQL Server Profiler	None
Tools	SQL Server Profiler for Trace Replay	SQL Server Distributed Replay Note: Continue to use SQL Server Profiler for Trace Replay for Analysis Services workloads.	SQL Server Profiler	None
Trace Management Objects	Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Trace namespace (contains the APIs for SQL Server Trace and Replay objects)	Trace Configuration: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.XEvent Trace Reading: Microsoft.SqlServer.XEvent.Linq Trace Replay: None
SQL Trace stored procedures, functions, and catalog views	sp_trace_create sp_trace_setevent sp_trace_setfilter sp_trace_setstatus fn_trace_geteventinfo fn_trace_getfilterinfo fn_trace_getinfo fn_trace_gettable sys.traces sys.trace_events sys.trace_event_bindings sys.trace_categories sys.trace_columns sys.trace_subclass_values	Extended Events	sp_trace_create sp_trace_setevent sp_trace_setfilter sp_trace_setstatus fn_trace_geteventinfo fn_trace_getfilterinfo fn_trace_getinfo fn_trace_gettable sys.traces sys.trace_events sys.trace_event_bindings sys.trace_categories sys.trace_columns sys.trace_subclass_values	258 260 261 259 256 257

Note

The cookie OUTPUT parameter for sp_setapprole is currently documented as varbinary(8000) which is the correct maximum length. However the current implementation returns varbinary(50). If developers have allocated varbinary(50) the application might require changes if the cookie return size increases in a future release. Though not a deprecation issue this is mentioned in this topic because the application adjustments are similar. For more information, see sp_setapprole (Transact-SQL).

See Also

Discontinued Database Engine Functionality in SQL Server 2014