Microsoft has just announced new guidance and tools to help organizations protect and modernize their SQL Server 2016 workloads as the product approaches its End of Support (EOS) on July 14, 2026. What does End of Support mean? Microsoft Lifecycle Policy offers 10 years of support (five years for mainstream…
Get ready for your SQL Server upgrade! Follow these SQL Server 2016 migration guidelines to ensure a smooth transition.
Explore the SQL Server: Security Updates (July 2025) for crucial fixes and enhancements released by the SQL Server team.
I often get asked about Automating Tasks and Monitoring Tools in Azure SQL, here are some helpful resources and scripts that can be used to test these features. All the scripts are in this Automated_AzureSQLDB.zip file. Database Watcher: Database watcher is a managed monitoring solution for database services in the Azure…
There have been quite a few announcements since Microsoft Build 2025 and I wanted to make sure your team did not miss anything. Azure SQL Announcements: May/June 2025 Public Preview – Data Virtualization for Azure SQL Database Using Azure Metrics, Alerts, and Automation Accounts to start an XE session Unlocking…
Updates in SQL Server Management Studio: SSMS 21 Preview 6 and Copilot Integration Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of technology, offering tools and updates that significantly enhance database management, productivity, and security. This blog post will summarize three major updates: the release of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21…
Overview: Microsoft has announced the Migration Dashboard feature in the Azure portal, specifically for SQL Server instances enabled by Azure Arc. This dashboard provides a comprehensive view of your migration readiness and assessment coverage across all SQL Server instances. Key Features: Assessment Visibility: The dashboard automatically generates assessments for migration to Azure,…
Here is a roundup of recent updates for SQL Server from the SQL Server Blog announcements. March 2025 ODBC Driver 18.5 for SQL Server Released: Download JDBC Driver 12.10 for SQL Server Released: Download Security Update of SQL Server 2022 RTM CU18 KB Article: KB5050771 Release of SQL Server Management Studio…
In case you missed it: here is a summary of Azure SQL announcements for February 2025: Retirement of Azure Data Studio: ADS will remain supported until February 28, 2026, giving developers ample time to transition. This decision aligns with our commitment to simplifying SQL development by consolidating efforts on Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with…
Mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2019 will end on February 28, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide new features, functionalities, or general fixes for this version. However, extended support for SQL Server 2019 will continue until January 8, 2030; More information here. Here are the most…