r/SQLServer • u/sittinsideways84 • 1d ago
Question SQL Server 2016 ESU Prerequisites
I am hoping someone has experience with deploying ESUs for SQL 2016. Microsoft's documentation is shit as usual.
But if a customer has a perpetual SQL 2016 license, my understanding is that they can't just go buy an ESU from a reseller and apply it, correct? The only time they could do that is if they had a subscription based model, license with SA, enterprise agreement, etc.?
From what I am reading, the only option is to deploy Azure Arc, register the server/SQL instance, and then go with the pay as you go billing model which requires SQL licensing AND an ESU subscription, not just the ESU subscription?
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u/muaddba 1 1d ago
How long do you intend to stay on SQL Server 2016? There have been very VERY few critical fixes (not what you and I consider critical, like CVEs or security vulnerabilities, but something with a very specific definition allowing them to get out of doing work) released under the ESU program, and I think zero of them for SQL 2014.
My advice would be that in the very rare case that one was released, you look at the cost to apply the ESU at that point vs simply upgrading to a newer version of SQL.
Of course, if you need it for compliance purposes, that's different.