Microsoft’s on premises flagship database product SQL Server is on the edge of a new version: 2022 is on its way. Today it is in private preview (for selected customers) and we expect general availability (GA) in the second half of 2022.
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Microsoft SQL Server 2019 became general available late 2019 and is still under general support until January 6th, 2025. So no rush for the new, higher version. Although there are some interesting new features in SQL Server 2022 which might be of interest.
Azure SQL
We expect some new features for SQL on Azure and Azure SQL Databases in the upcoming months. Microsoft does this often, testing and releasing new features in the cloud before bringing them to the on premises SQL Server releases. Besides, Microsoft promises more integration between SQL on Azure and SQL in customers datacenters, as you can read in the Microsoft SQL Server blog post from November last year.
One of the examples is a bidirectional High Availability or Disaster Recovery function to Azure SQL Managed Instance. This means no more Windows Server deployment and maintenance for your SQL Disaster Recovery option in the cloud.
Performance and security
In todays tumbling world, security is a hot item. It does make sense that Microsoft invested a lot of money to improve security in SQL Server 2022. Besides, for most organizations, SQL Server 2019 and/or previous versions hold important data. So availability and great performance are also key. With Query Store and Intelligent Query Processing Microsoft does have improved the performance (claimed by Microsoft, to be proved after availability off course …)
Licensing changes
Or the lack of changes as it looks today. Off course the final SQL Server 2022 product licensing will be revealed when the product becomes available. There are not licensing changes foreseen, but again, this might change over time.
These are the licensing options for SQL Server 2019 as you can find in the Product Terms (limited overview):
- SQL Server is available in a per core license model (no client access licenses needed) and in a SQL Server server license + Client Access License (CAL) model (only Standard edition). License each physical or virtual server with a server license and license each user or each device which directly or indirectly accesses SQL Server with the corresponding CAL license
- For physical operating system installations with the per core model, license all cores across all processors in the server
- For virtual operating systems installations with the per core model, license all vCPU/vCores assigned to the operating system which runs SQL Server
- For both the virtual and physical installations, the minimum number of cores to license is four (buy 2 x 2-core pack)
- With physical installations and ALL cores licenses for SQL Server Enterprise AND covered with Software Assurance, customer receives the right to run an unlimited amount of virtual SQL Server installations Enterprise or Standard on that server
Do you want to learn more about SQL Server licensing? SQL Server licensing is covered in the Microsoft partner and Microsoft customer (end-user) trainings with our sister company Didactive.
SQL 2012 reaching end of support
When there is a new version of SQL Server around the corner, most of the time there is an older version leaving; SQL Server 2012 will reach end of extended support July 11th, 2022. After that date, Microsoft will no longer issue security updates for SQL Server 2012. We strongly recommend customers still using SQL Server 2012 to upgrade to a higher version, migrate to Azure SQL or buy Extended Security Updates before the end of extended support date.
When you want more information on SQL Server and Azure SQL licensing, please contact one of our licensing consultants to help you.