Is your version still supported?
Once extended support ends, Microsoft stops releasing security patches unless you subscribe to Extended Security Updates. For a database that holds customer, financial or health data, that is a security risk and often a compliance problem. We walk through the options (ESU, SQL Server 2022, SQL Server 2025, Azure) in our article on SQL Server 2016 end of support.
| Version | End of extended support | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2012 | July 12, 2022 | Out of support |
| SQL Server 2014 | July 9, 2024 | Out of support |
| SQL Server 2016 | July 14, 2026 | Out of support |
| SQL Server 2017 | October 12, 2027 | Plan ahead |
| SQL Server 2019 | January 8, 2030 | Supported |
| SQL Server 2022 | January 11, 2033 | Supported |
What makes a migration fail
Restoring a backup onto a newer server takes a few minutes. What takes time, and what sinks poorly prepared migrations, is everything else:
- performance regressions caused by the new cardinality estimator or by the change in compatibility level;
- deprecated or removed features that an application still relies on;
- everything that lives outside the databases and gets forgotten: logins and their credentials, SQL Agent jobs, linked servers, certificates, SSIS packages, operators and alerts;
- an underestimated downtime window, because nobody rehearsed the cutover.
Our approach
1. Inventory and assessment
Instances, databases, dependencies, data volumes, features in use, compatibility with the target version and support from your software vendors. Starting with a SQL Server audit also keeps you from carrying today's problems over to the new platform.
2. Choosing the target
On-premises or in a virtual machine with SQL Server 2022 or 2025, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database: each option comes with its own technical constraints and cost model. We help you choose based on your applications, not on the latest trend.
3. Performance testing
We capture your real workload and replay it on the new platform. Query Store lets us compare plans and fix regressions before the cutover, not after.
4. Rehearsal and cutover
The cutover is rehearsed at least once, timed and documented. On the day itself, the new instance is already in sync: all that's left is to apply the last transactions, redirect the applications and verify. A rollback plan is ready, just in case.
5. Post-migration follow-up
Closer monitoring for the first few weeks, a gradual step-up of the compatibility level, and configuration adjustments specific to the new version.
SQL Server migration to Azure or AWS
Moving to Azure makes sense when you want to spend less time running infrastructure or take advantage of built-in high availability. It isn't always cheaper, and some applications cope poorly with the limits of Azure SQL Database; in that case Azure SQL Managed Instance or AWS RDS for SQL Server is often a better fit. A cloud migration deserves the same rigor as an on-premises one, along with a cost estimate based on your actual workload. For business continuity once you've migrated, see high availability and disaster recovery.
