A Complete Guide to SQL Server 2016 End Of Life Support

With the rapidly advancing technical era, it has become a necessity for database administrators to upgrade their SQL Server versions. A similar situation occurred when the SQL Server 2016 end of life was announced. Here, we will be discussing the whole concept of what the end of life announcement was and how it impacted the users’ lives.

So, without any further delay, let’s begin by understanding why the end of life of SQL Server 2016 was announced. 

Understanding SQL Server 2016 End Of Life Announcement

To understand the concept more concisely, let’s first understand what end-of-life means. When a product reaches the end of its official lifecycle, the software and IT officials call it the end-of-life for that specific product. Similarly, when SQL Server 2016 reached the end of its official lifecycle, Microsoft announced the end of life for the 2016 version. 

Microsoft offers dual types of support in the complete lifecycle for all its products. These supports are as follows:

The Mainstream Support:
This support mainly has a life of 5 years, and the following services are offered within that period:

• Fixes for Bugs
• Security Patch
• No-Cost Support
• Improved Features
• Compatibility and Design Upgrades

The Extended Support:
After the mainstream support ends, the extended support is offered for the next 5 years. The extended support includes the following services:

• The Security Updates
• Paid Support Contracts
• No Upgraded Features

After this support ends its tenure, the product officially reaches its end-of-life. This means that after this time, Microsoft will no longer offer any support or upgrades to that specific version or product, in this case, that is SQL Server 2016. 

This is a thorough explanation of what SQL Server 2016 end of life announcement. Now, we will take a look at what the important takeaways are from this announcement, and what the necessary measures are to take after the complete stoppage of the product. 

What To Do After the SQL 2016: End Of Life? 

After the 2016 version’s end of life, there will be certain changes that might hugely impact the users’ performance and further create issues for the database administrators, if they do not take the necessary steps. Let’s first take a look at the services that will be completely stopped after the SQL 2016 EOL:

• Once the extended support offered by Microsoft ends for this version, the security patches will not be provided for any new issues or vulnerabilities in the SQL Server database. 
• Next, the performance improvements and any kind of bug fixes will not be offered for the version. 
• Microsoft will completely cease any support offered to SQL Server Version 2016. 
• Any updates that help the SQL Server to be compatible with any new Windows version or hardware will also be stopped after SQL Server 2016 End of Life. 

For all these reasons, the database can result in degraded performance and become vulnerable to new errors and bugs. This can lead to bigger issues in the databases, risking data security and integrity. Let’s now learn the ways and the methods that will help the users and the database administrators to deal with the SQL 2016 EOL. 

Important Dates Concerning SQL 2016 End of Life 

• Release Date of SQL Server 2016: 1 June 2016
• Mainstream Support End for SQL 2016: 13 July 2021
• Extended Support End for SQL Server 2016: 14 July 2026 

Best Practices To Avoid Disasters After SQL Server 2016: EOL

As we all know that after the SQL Server 2016 End of Life, the services for the SQL Server version will be entirely stopped. We will now take a look at the preventive measures and the necessary steps to keep the data safe after the version goes outdated. 

Document the Entire Workload of SQL Server 2016

• The first precautionary measure is to document everything about the server. Note all the servers running SQL Server 2016 version. 
• Also, list all the databases and the applications relying on the SQL 2016 version servers. 
• Check the complete resource usage and do a thorough compatibility check and dependency check. 
• SQL Server Management Studio and Data Migration Assistant are the tools that can help you with assessing and documenting the required data. 

Next, it is required to upgrade the database from the outdated version to a newer version to minimize the risk of data loss and data security after the extended support ends. For this, we will now consider the following measures for a safer and secure server migration. 

Upgrade the Server After SQL Server 2016 End Of Life

To reduce the risk of data loss or other security risks after the SQL 2016 EOL, it is advised to upgrade the server to a newer version like SQL Server 2019 or SQL Server 2022. 

There are certain benefits of upgrading to SQL Server 2019 or 2022, and one of them is that Microsoft supports these versions and will continue to do so till 2030(SQL Server 2022) and 2033(SQL Server 2022), respectively. Additionally, both these versions support better security features and improved performance. 

It is recommended by the experts to copy SQL Server from one server to another. This will help the database administrators to benefit from the advanced features provided by Microsoft in newer versions. 

Migrate from SQL Server 2016 to Azure SQL(Cloud Database)

As we all know that moving from on-premise servers to cloud servers is beneficial for SQL 2016 EOL as it offers numerous features. Here are some of these features that have been proven to be advantageous for the users. 

• No requirement for managing hardware as the complete server is available on the cloud. 
• The Cloud SQL offers automated backups, patching, and updates, making it hassle-free for the users. 
• The cloud-based servers also offer enhanced security features, ensuring that the data is secure from any unauthorized access and malicious activities. 
• The Azure SQL also offers improved performance tuning features that help with better performance optimization and better resource consumption. 

These are the benefits offered by the Azure SQL Database. In case the users wonder whether they should switch after SQL Server 2016 End of Life, they can consider these aspects as well. Now, migration or upgradation to a new server is a helpful solution in this situation. However, when it comes to execution, it is certainly necessary for the users to first test the SQL Server Environment to avoid any kind of issues. 

Testing & Monitoring of the New SQL Server Environment

Before beginning with the migration or upgradation, it is necessary to follow certain steps to ensure that the data remains intact during the process. These steps will help the users ensure data safety and smooth execution of the complete process. Additionally, the users must take the following measures for efficient migration for the SQL Server 2016 End of Life:

• The first step is to choose a non-production environment so that the workflow on the original database remains smooth. 
• Next, it is also important to check the following things before starting the migration process:
  • Application Compatibility
  • Query Performance
  • Security Configurations
  • Backup and Restore Functions

Checking these aspects is necessary before migrating to another server to ensure there are no compatibility issues or database performance degradation during or after the process. 

By following these steps, it helps the database administrators to understand the requirements and challenges after the SQL 2016 EOL. Also, it allows them to take appropriate actions regarding the same. This is how the users can safeguard their data from any harm or damage once the server version completes its lifecycle. 

Conclusion

In this write-up, we have learned the concept of SQL Server 2016 End of Life support. We also discussed what end-of-life meant and how it could impact the users’ day-to-day tasks. Afterwards, we learned the ways that would help the users to safeguard their data after SQL 2016 goes completely outdated.