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SQL Server 2012 reaches end of support and Microsoft is here to help

Today, July 12, 2022, marks the end of support for SQL Server 2012. This version has had an amazing 10-year run and we want to thank our customers for your investment in learning and using Microsoft SQL Server. Looking forward, there are four great options for data estate migration and modernization that will continue to provide security and product support for SQL Server 2012 instances. Microsoft is here to help: the Azure Migration and Modernization Program provides assistance with planning and carrying out your journey to the cloud with migration guidance and cost-saving offers for your move.

Stay secure and supported on-premises or in Azure

There are four options to keep your SQL Server 2012 secure and supported:

  • Migrate to Azure Virtual Machines and run securely with up to three years of free Extended Security Updates and continued access to product support through your existing support contract. Moving SQL Server 2012 to Azure can have the lowest total cost of ownership—as much as 69 percent less than purchasing Extended Security Updates on-premises. It’s also easy to migrate because Azure Virtual Machines run the exact same SQL Server you have in your on-premises environment. In just three weeks, Allscripts lifted and shifted dozens of acquired applications running on 1,000 virtual machines to Azure. The free Extended Security Updates offer extends to other destinations in Azure including Azure Dedicated Host, Azure VMWare Solution, and hybrid destinations such as Azure Stack HCI. Microsoft is also providing one additional year of extended security updates for Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2, only in Azure.
  • Modernize your SQL Server in the cloud with Azure SQL Managed Instance, which combines the broadest SQL Server engine compatibility with all the benefits of a fully managed and always up-to-date database service. SQL Managed Instance helps you quickly and confidently modernize your custom and vendor-provided apps to Azure so you can further unlock the benefits of Azure’s integrated service platform. Customers like H&R Block find that SQL Managed Instance helps them scale up or down to meet changing demands in a cost-optimized way.
  • Upgrade to SQL Server 2019, which allows you to benefit from industry-leading security and performance, the ability to break down data silos, added business continuity scenarios, and deployment flexibility.
  • Sign up for Extended Security Updates for your on-premises SQL Server via Azure Arc. Just like moving to Azure, purchasing Extended Security Updates for use in your on-premises environment gives you continued access to product support through your existing support contract. There are two ways to use Azure Arc to receive Extended Security Updates:
    • Connected: Install the Azure Connected Machine agent with direct connectivity to Azure. You’ll benefit from the features that Azure Arc-enabled servers provide, including ease of enrollment and deployment of Extended Security Updates.
    • Registered: Manually add your instance in a disconnected state and manage all your SQL Server from a single pane of glass. The management experience is consistent with how you manage native Azure Virtual Machines. Learn more about Extended Security Updates for SQL Server.

Plan for upcoming Windows Server 2012/R2 end of support

As you plan to protect SQL Server 2012 workloads, you should also plan to do the same for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 as they reach end of support next year on October 10, 2023. You can continue to protect these workloads by upgrading to Windows Server 2022 or migrating to the cloud.

With Azure, you can focus on modernization, knowing your Windows Server 2012/R2 legacy workloads are seamlessly secured with free Extended Security Updates. Take advantage of unique capabilities for Windows Server in Azure Virtual Machines or hybrid management through Azure Arc. Solutions such as Azure Automanage simplify management of your Windows Server Virtual Machines, while you can accelerate application modernization with PaaS solutions such as Azure App Service and Azure Kubernetes Service.

For customers that need to run business-critical applications on-premises, you can continue to protect your workloads by upgrading to Windows Server 2022 with the latest innovation in security, hybrid capabilities, and application development.

Start your journey with help from Microsoft

Microsoft is here to help you get started. We recently announced an expansion to the Azure Migration and Modernization Program, which has helped thousands of customers unlock the value of the cloud. We’re now investing significantly more to support your largest Windows Server and SQL Server migration and modernization projects, up to 2.5 times more than previous investments, based on project eligibility. This investment will help with your migration in two ways: partner assistance with planning and moving your workloads, and Azure credits that offset transition costs during your move to Azure Virtual Machines, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and Azure SQL Database.

Learn more about end of support and migration resources:

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SQL Server Team

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