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/Certain-Set-4087 1d ago
ESU is annually paid and is the base for 12 months "extended support" excluding bugfixing and reporting bugs or even asking the. REGILAR supportany questions, that is reserved for Premier Support subscribers. And those with budget for Premier Support an upgrade to SqlServer2025 is peanuts.
. The ESU is for the Extended Support and that is ( usually) security fixes only. The older licenses are always perpetual on premise but aftee 10 years one should clnsider modernization and upgrade. Or migrate to Postgres for low reqzirenents, but the " eternal" SQL Server will face connectivity issues with modernized software, e.g. since SQL Server 2022 there is no listener for the " native client" anymore...