Microsoft SQL Server 2012 reach end of extended support on July 12 2023, and it’s OS brother Windows Server 2012 / R2 will reach end of extended support on October 10, 2023. After the extended support, Microsoft no longer issues security updates for the products concerned. Organizations still using this software, are vulnerable and at high risk for cyber-attacks.
Migrate to Azure
Off course, migrating to Microsoft Azure is sometimes an option. On Azure, Microsoft provides security updates for three years after the end of extended support date (for free). But not all legacy software can be migrated to Azure. What are other options?
Upgrade
Sure, upgrading to the latest versions of the software (SQL Server 2022 and Windows Server 2022) is sometimes an option Those will be in support for at least another nine years (Microsoft’s default support life cycle for on-premises software is 10 years after release date). Again, upgrading is not always an option for legacy software.
Extended Security Updates
For those organizations who need to stay on not-support software, Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates (ESU) up to three years after the end of support date. Customers need to buy all years, meaning when customers want to start buying these ESU in the second year after the end of support date, they have to buy year 1 as well. Starting in year three, means also buying year one and two.
These ESU are available to customers buying under the Enterprise Agreement with an Enterprise Enrollment (EA), Subscription Enrollment (ESA), Server and Cloud Enrollment (SCE) or the Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES). With that, the ESU were not available to SMB, because the aforementioned Agreements do have a 500 devices or users threshold.
New, ESU as a PAYG option, now for SMB
Starting September 2023, Microsoft will offer the Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012/2012R2 as well as SQL Server 2012 as a month-by-month Pay-as-you-Go option. Customers will need to enroll their applicable servers in Azure Arc and do need to have an Azure subscription as a payment mechanism (this can be an Azure subscription through a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Partner).
With this new option, Extended Security Updates finally come into reach of SMB customers. For pricing, aim at 75% of the license price per year, divided by 12 for a rough indication of the monthly price. Exact pricing will be published in September on the Azure website.
More information
Do you want more information on Azure licensing, or Extended Security Updates for Windows Server and SQL Server? Contact one of our experienced licensing consultants to help you.