Microsoft SQL Server® 2005 has reached its end of life (EOL). After 11 years, it finally exited “extended support” on April 12, 2016. Now there are a number of options for where you can go next: SQL Server 2008, 2012, 2014, or 2016 (announced March 10, 2016). Most of you will opt for the 2014 or 2016 editions. But it’s definitely time to do something.
If you’re willing to wait for new features and pay a premium for a Custom Support Agreement (CSA) from Microsoft, you can buy yourself some time – but it’s hardly worth it, since you’ll still to need a plan to migrate or replatform because custom support agreements through Microsoft Premier Support aren’t available forever.
Top 5 reasons to act now:
- EOL: The price of doing nothing after EOL is too steep, and the consequences can be severe. The lack of support and security updates have implications that can ripple through out your environment affecting services and applications that the business depends on.
- Performance Increase: Don’t miss out on the benefits of migrating immediately. The current versions of SQL closely support a modern environment with performance gains, added high availability and scalability features, as well as increased business intelligence capabilities.
- Adopt DBaaS model: When it comes to database transformation and migration services you have options to deploy infrastructure, automate applications, and transition your workloads—whether for a new platform like the Enterprise Hybrid Cloud solution, or if you’re looking to adopt a DBaaS model. Migration of your existing SQL platforms gives you the opportunity to consider improving your service offering model.
- Reduce Risk: Ease the pain and reduce the risk of dealing with SQL Server 2005 end of life and the migration to a new platform by partnering with experts. The process of planning and executing a migration from SQL Server 2005 is complex and time-consuming. This is one of the cases where you can benefit from experienced professionals to help you minimize risk and complete the migration more quickly. Coordinating an effort large as this can be daunting, yet maintaining the stability of the business during the migration and mitigating risk is crucial.
- Modernize your infrastructure: Use the SQL Server 2005 EOL challenge as the driver you need to modernize your infrastructure. You can explore a move to a converged infrastructure or modernize with a solution like our Enterprise Hybrid Cloud to add to the substantial performance improvement offered in newer versions of SQL Server. Our Enterprise Hybrid Cloud solution can extend the value of your investment by deployment of engineered SQL blueprints from EMC.
No matter the driver, EMC can help. Our Migration for Microsoft SQL Server offering can help you meet the challenges of a migration initiative, from planning through execution. Our approach comes from our years of experience in this space. It’s an exciting time when you consider all of the options you have to modernize your data center. EMC Services can provide the right guidance to help your business achieve its goals.
If any of the reasons mentioned above resonate with you, act now! And stay tuned for our next blog, which will give you an insider’s view of an EMC Migration for Microsoft SQL Server engagement.