Windows Server and SQL 2008 and 2012 – Extended Support Options

SQL and Windows Server 2008

Extended Security Updates were made available (at a cost) by Microsoft for both SQL Server and Windows Server versions 2008 and 2008 R2 since “official support” ended but these extended support update are also now coming to an end on:

  • SQL Server 2008: July 9th, 2022
  • Windows Server 2008/2008 R”: Jan 14th, 2023 respectively.

If your organisation is still running any of these older server products in Azure then you will be currently entitled to (and receiving) 3 years of free Extended Security Updates, and Microsoft have recently announced that one more year of Extended Security Updates will be available BUT ONLY if these workloads are running in Azure.

 

SQL Server and Windows 2012

Support for SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 is also coming to an end:

  • SQL Server 2012: July 12th, 2022
  • Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 on October 23rd 2023

As with version 2008, Microsoft will be making (again at a cost) 3 years of Extended Security Updates available from your licensing partner or Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) and, as before these will be free if these workloads are running (or moved into) Azure

If you are no planning on moving these into Azure, then you’ll need to buy licences for each server instance you need to cover.

Cost for ESU are

  • Year 1: 75% of the licence cost
  • Year 2: 100% of the licence cost
  • Year 3: 125% of the licence cost

What are my options?

If you are still on Windows Server 2008 or SQL 2008, you have 3 options:

  1. Migrate the VMs/Servers into Azure for  ONE MORE YEAR of free support
  2. Migrate or Rehost apps and workloads to Windows Server and SQL Server on Azure virtual machines
  3. Modernize with Azure services such as App Service and Azure SQL Managed Instance, and never have to patch or upgrade again.

If you are Windows or SQL Server 2012, you have 4 options:

  1. Pay for Extended Support for up to 3 years
  2. Upgrade the Servers to a supported version of SQL and Windows 
  3. Migrate or Rehost apps and workloads to Windows Server and SQL Server on Azure virtual machines
  4. Modernize with Azure services such as App Service and Azure SQL Managed Instance, and never have to patch or upgrade again.

 

Further Reading and References

You can find the formal announcement here, along with the data sheet which does into more detail, as well as a FAQ from Microsoft.