SQL Server 2012 End of Support: Here’s What You Should Do Now
By WatServ
August 23, 2022
In July 2022, Microsoft ended support for SQL Server 2012, which means a lot of companies are left wondering what to do.
If you aren’t already familiar with it, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is Microsoft’s relational database management system (RDMS) application. It’s used to manage all the databases your business uses for regular operations.
While Microsoft’s ending support for the 2012 SQL Server version can put a wrinkle in your business operations, it’s not too late to take action. In this article, we’ll go over what the ending of this support means, and what your options are.
What Does SQL Server 2012 End of Support Mean?
After a ten-year run, SQL Server 2012 support end date happened on July 12, 2022. While some companies migrated their databases to a newer version of SQL Server, Microsoft offers an Extended Security Update package which gives businesses an additional three years of support.
This is helpful for those companies who aren’t prepared for migration. But that’s not an indefinite solution. The good thing is that there are options, and taking action now will mitigate any data loss or worse, serious business interruptions and security issues.
What Are Your Options?
Even with SQL Server 2012 end of life, companies have a grace period to migrate their data to another server option, although waiting is not recommended. Usually, the delay is simply because options have not been fully explored.
In order to help make this decision easier, here are the most common options available.
1. Extended Security Updates
As mentioned above, Extended Security Updates is the quickest solution to SQL Server 2012 end of life. However, it’s not a permanent or most advisable solution.
This security update provides critical security updates, which is helpful, but the drawback is that there will be no new features or customer requested non-security updates. It is also a very costly solution. This is a stop-gap solution until your business lands on a permanent solution that best fits your company’s needs.
For companies looking for a long-term and cost-effective solution that’s scalable and flexible (and that has customer support), purchasing the Extended Security Updates is generally not as advisable as other solutions, such as migrating to Microsoft Azure.
2. Upgrade to SQL Server 2019
There is, of course, the updated version of SQL Server, that being SQL Server 2019. For some businesses, this is an optimal solution as the products they’re already used to are updated to the most recent version.
This upgrade provides access to updates for multiple years. However, this is generally a very expensive option and it offers licensing processes that aren’t as scalable as other options.
3. Migrate to Microsoft Azure
The best recommendation to SQL Server 2012 end of support is to migrate to Microsoft Azure.
Azure is Microsoft’s public cloud platform and is used by over 95% of Fortune 500 companies. It has a vast collection of services hosted in a cloud environment that allows users to build, deploy and manage business applications.
Azure is an incredibly powerful tool, and can be used for services such as virtual computing, storage, networking, analytics and many others. It is an incredibly robust, secure and seamless cloud computing platform, which is why it is so popular, particularly in our mostly cloud-based work environment.
Because of its pay-per-use licensing model, with discounts given for reserved instances, Azure is an economical option. For companies looking to upgrade their legacy systems, Azure offers the flexibility and scalability that they need.
With Microsoft Azure, companies can:
- Manage all APIs in one place
- Enhance and implement backup and disaster recovery
- Enhance security and protection
- Supplement and protect active directories
Companies can manage Azure by using either in-house cloud-based management teams or partner with managed service providers. For many businesses, using a managed service provider is the most economical and logical choice.
Work With a Trusted Partner
WatServ has extensive experience with SQL Server 2012 end of life migrations, and our team is here to help you navigate the current promotions, funding options and resources available to offset your migration costs.
With an Advanced Specialization for Microsoft Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure, WatServ is a trusted partner.
To learn more about your options, contact us today.
About
WatServ is an IT solutions provider that helps organizations digitally transform through cloud technologies and managed services.
Serving clients as a trusted advisor since 2006, WatServ provides experience-tested, strategic solutions across all stages of the digital transformation journey. Clients choose WatServ to migrate infrastructure and applications to the cloud, secure critical data, implement disaster recovery, deploy virtual desktop, enable data-readiness for productivity solutions and manage IT environments.
Our clients span a broad range of industries, and we’re a global supplier of IT services for many Brookfield Portfolio Companies. To help our mid-size clients, we provide scalable offerings that simplify cloud adoption and drive business optimization. For enterprise clients, we co-create cloud solutions that enable stability and efficiency for complex IT tools and processes.
With more than 15 years of experience, WatServ has a track record of delivering quantifiable business results and a superior client experience. Ranked as one of Canada’s Top 100 Solution Providers for the last three years in a row, WatServ is always on.
