Microsoft has ended support for SQL Server 2016. Notably, the company acknowledges that this database version is still “widely used” in enterprise environments. Organizations that continue to use the software will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or regular technical support.
SQL Server 2016 was released on June 1, 2016, and followed Microsoft’s standard lifecycle policy. Mainstream support ended on July 13, 2021, after which Extended Support remained available for another five years. That period also ended on July 14, 2026, bringing the total supported lifespan to just over ten years.
Software continues to work, but risk increases
The end of support does not mean that SQL Server 2016 will immediately stop functioning. Existing databases and applications will continue to run as usual. However, newly discovered vulnerabilities will no longer be addressed through security updates, and regular product support will cease. Organizations may also face compliance requirements that mandate the use of supported software.
At the time of its release, SQL Server 2016 introduced features such as Query Store, Always Encrypted, and native support for JSON. According to Microsoft, this version therefore remains the foundation of many business-critical applications, including ERP systems, production environments, and other business applications.
Migrate or purchase security updates
Microsoft advises organizations to migrate to a supported version of SQL Server or to an Azure-based SQL service. For organizations that are not yet ready to do so, Extended Security Updates (ESUs) remain available. These allow organizations to continue receiving critical security updates for up to three more years. Microsoft emphasizes, however, that this arrangement is intended as a temporary stopgap and not as a permanent solution.
According to the vendor, a migration ideally begins with an assessment of existing databases and their dependencies. In practice, outdated functionality, Linked Servers, SQL Agent jobs, and older SSIS and SSRS implementations are the main factors that determine the complexity of a migration. Microsoft provides tools for this purpose, including the Data Migration Assistant and the Azure Database Migration Service.