Microsoft SQL Server 2012

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that supports a wide range of applications for transaction processing, business intelligence and analysis in enterprise environments. Microsoft SQL Server is one of the three leading database technologies, along with Oracle Database and IBM DB2. SQL is a special programming language for managing data in a relational database management system. A database server is a computer program that provides database services to other programs or computers, as defined by the client-server model. Thus, a SQL Server is a database server that implements structured query language (SQL).

MS SQL Server 2012 Standard or Enterprise?

Microsoft SQL Server licenses for enterprises are available in two versions: Standard and Enterprise. Microsoft SQL Server Standard provides all the basic database, reporting and analysis capabilities. It also includes availability features and disaster recovery. SQL Server Enterprise provides all the functionality of Standard, with the addition of aggregation up to eight nodes and performing asynchronous mirroring.

Our recommendation is to purchase a version of SQL Server that receives adequate support from Microsoft. This includes standard support (updates) and extended support (security). Basic support, or standard support, expires first.

For Microsoft SQL Server 2012, the expiration dates are as follows:

Expiration date of standard support: Already expired

Expiration date of extended support: Already expired