Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 Approaching End of Life

A decade-old version of Microsoft’s popular database software SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 is losing support on July 9,2019. If your business hasn’t moved away from the software, you are looking at a few real pressing problems. Let’s take a look at the software and what options businesses that haven’t moved on from SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server R2 have going forward.

What is SQL Server?

SQL server is Microsoft’s relational database management system (RDMS) application. As its name suggests, it is used to manage the databases you use for your business. All of the programs your business depends on for management and productivity typically need access to a database. The data in this database is traditionally accessed through the RDMS. While there are several types of RDMS servers on the market, they typically have specific applications. SQL Server has been updated numerous times in the 11 years since SQL Server 2008 was introduced and the nine since 2008 R2 launched, with all types of additions for new dataflows and cloud resources.

What Can You Do?

Microsoft suggests that each organization chooses the modernization platform that best fits their company’s needs, but with so little time left before SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 lose support, it may be difficult to sufficiently modernize before the deadline. One (very attractive) option offered by Microsoft is that company’s utilizing SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 can move their existing databases to the Azure cloud and get support for three additional years.

By migrating your SQL Server 2008 to the cloud (in Azure), Microsoft will continue to support your software through July 2022. This extended support gives organizations time to come up with a viable plan without having to move forward with unsupported software that could present a whole litany of security problems.

If you are staring down the July 9th deadline, you may want to stop and act now. For more information about RDMS platforms and hosting, reach out to the IT professionals at Walsh IT Group today at (832) 295-1445.