SQL Server 2012
End of all support: July 2022
No patches of any kind. No security fixes. If you're still running 2012, you're exposed and running on borrowed time. This should have been upgraded yesterday.
SQL Server Upgrades
Upgrade Your SQL Server
Without Breaking What Works.
Moving from SQL 2012 to 2022? Or 2016 to 2019? We test every query, validate every dependency, and keep rollback scripts ready at every step. Your apps keep running. Your data stays safe.
Is It Time?
Where Your Version Stands
Microsoft ends support on a fixed schedule. Once mainstream support ends, you stop getting security patches and bug fixes. Extended support gives you a few more years of security-only updates, but no new features and a ticking clock.
In plain terms, this is the end-of-life schedule. End of life (also called end of support, or EOL) is the date Microsoft stops shipping security patches for a version. SQL Server 2012 and SQL Server 2014 are already past end of life. SQL Server 2016 reaches end of life on July 14, 2026, and SQL Server 2017 on October 12, 2027. SQL Server 2019 reaches end of life on January 8, 2030. Once a version hits its end-of-life date, every new vulnerability is yours to carry until you upgrade.
SQL Server 2014
End of all support: July 2024
Extended support ended mid-2024. Same situation as 2012: no patches, growing risk, and increasing compatibility issues with modern tooling.
SQL Server 2016
Extended support ends: July 2026
You're getting security-only fixes until mid-2026. After that, nothing. If you're planning an upgrade, now is the time to start testing, not after support ends.
SQL Server 2017
Extended support ends: October 2027
Still getting security patches. You have some runway, but planning now means you pick the timeline instead of reacting to a deadline.
SQL Server 2019
Mainstream support until January 2025
Moving into extended support. Still solid, but if you're thinking about 2022, this is a good time to evaluate what the newer version gets you.
SQL Server 2022
Fully supported, latest release
Latest version with full mainstream support. This is where most upgrades should be targeting right now.
The Big Decision
In-Place or Side-by-Side: Which Upgrade Is Right for You
Every SQL Server upgrade comes down to one choice, and it is the question the whole internet argues about. We pick the safer one for your situation, not the faster one for ours.
In-place upgrade
upgrade SQL Server on the same machine. Faster and simpler, but it is a one-way door, and not every version can jump straight to the latest release or sits at the service-pack level the upgrade requires. We use it only when the environment is simple and current.
Side-by-side upgrade
stand up a fresh instance, move the databases, and cut over once it is tested. More work, but the old server stays as an instant rollback and you test the new one before a single user touches it. This is our default for production systems.
Not every version upgrades in one hop, and the required service-pack level varies by version. We check all of that before we touch anything, which is the part that goes wrong when someone skips it. When the move also changes the platform (new hardware, a data center, or the cloud), that is a SQL Server migration, and we scope it differently.
Scope
What We Handle During an Upgrade
A version upgrade is more than changing a number. We deal with the compatibility issues, deprecated features, and application dependencies that actually make upgrades hard.
Compatibility Testing
We run your workload against the target version before touching production. Stored procedures, linked servers, SSIS packages, third-party tools. If something will break, we find it first.
Deprecated Feature Audit
Each SQL Server version drops features. We map every deprecated function your environment uses and give you a fix-or-replace plan before the upgrade starts.
Configuration and Tuning
Default settings change between versions. We configure memory, parallelism, tempdb, and compatibility levels for your specific workload on the new version.
Application Validation
We work with your dev team to test application connectivity, query behavior, and ORM compatibility. If your app talks to SQL Server, we make sure that conversation doesn't change.
Performance Benchmarking
We capture baseline performance metrics before the upgrade and compare them after. You get hard numbers showing that the new version runs at least as well (usually better).
Security Review
New versions bring new security features. We apply the right ones for your environment: TDE, Always Encrypted, row-level security, auditing. Whatever fits your compliance needs.
Process
How an Upgrade Works with Red9
Every upgrade follows this sequence. No shortcuts, no surprises.
Assess
We audit your current version, dependencies, and workload patterns. Everything that touches SQL Server gets documented before anyone touches anything. Start with a free SQL Server assessment.
Plan
Detailed project plan with code for each step, timing, and rollback scripts. Your team sees the full plan before we start executing.
Build
Stand up the new environment following best practices for your version. Memory, parallelism, tempdb, compatibility levels, all tuned for your workload.
Test
Run your workload on the new version and compare against baseline. Stored procs, linked servers, SSIS, ORMs, all validated before cutover.
Cutover
Execute the migration with the agreed-upon downtime window and rollback ready. If the cutover can't finish in the window, we roll back and try again later.
Validate
Post-upgrade monitoring, performance comparison, and final sign-off. We stay on until your team is comfortable everything's running clean.
Why Red9
What Makes Our Upgrades Different
Most shops can run an installer. The hard part is everything around it.
Rollback Scripts at Every Step
Every phase of the upgrade has a documented rollback path. If something goes sideways at step 4, we can undo step 4 without starting over.
Before/After Benchmarks
You get a performance comparison showing exactly how your workload runs on the new version. Not a feeling, not a guess. Hard numbers. If anything needs a tune-up after, that is SQL Server performance tuning.
Planned Downtime Only
We agree on a maintenance window upfront and stick to it. If the cutover can't finish in that window, we roll back and try again later.
Post-Upgrade Support
We stick around after go-live to monitor performance, catch query plan regressions, and tune anything that behaves differently on the new version.
From Our Clients
SQL Server Upgrades Done Right
400% Latency Improvement
"The single biggest benefit has been performance gains and tuning associated with migrating to AWS and a newer version of SQL Server with Always On clustering. Red9 was an integral part of this process. Red9 was able to find a number of inefficient indexes and performance bottlenecks that resulted in over 400% improvement in latency."
Stellar Performance as Always
"Stellar performance as always. Red9's attention to detail is incredible, and they are very dependable and consistently performs at a very high level. If you are lucky enough to have Red9 to work on your SQL project, hire them. Red9 is as good as it gets."
Performing Much Better
"It performed a little better after your changes and after application people updated the software, using what you guys recommended our app is now performing much better. Thanks for everything!"
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a SQL Server upgrade cost?
It depends on the number of instances, your current version, and how complex your environment is. Most upgrades fit within a 20-hour ($4,995) or 40-hour ($9,495) consulting block. We scope it during a free call so you know the cost before we start.
How long does an upgrade take?
For a single instance with moderate complexity, plan on 2–4 weeks from kickoff to cutover. That includes testing, not just the install. Multi-instance environments or those with heavy SSIS/SSRS dependencies take longer. We give you a timeline during scoping.
How much downtime should I expect?
We plan a specific maintenance window for the cutover and share it with your team in advance. For most upgrades, we're talking a few hours. If your environment supports it, we can do near-zero downtime using techniques like log shipping or Always On Availability Groups.
What if something breaks after the upgrade?
Every upgrade phase has rollback scripts. If we hit a problem during cutover, we can reverse it. After go-live, we monitor your environment to catch query plan regressions and performance changes. Post-upgrade support is included in the project scope.
Can I skip versions? (e.g., 2012 to 2022)
Yes. SQL Server supports in-place upgrades across multiple versions and we've done plenty of multi-version jumps. The bigger the jump, the more compatibility testing is needed, but it's a normal part of what we do. We'll tell you if a two-step approach makes more sense for your situation.
Should I do an in-place upgrade or a side-by-side migration?
It depends on your tolerance for risk and your hardware situation. In-place upgrades are faster but harder to roll back. Side-by-side gives you a clean environment and an easy rollback (just point back to the old server). We recommend side-by-side for production environments and walk you through the tradeoffs during scoping.
Will my applications work on the new version?
That's the whole point of our testing phase. We run your actual workload against the target version before touching production. Stored procedures, linked servers, SSIS packages, ORMs, third-party tools. If something will break, we find it and fix it before cutover.
Do you handle the licensing?
We can advise on licensing options (Standard vs. Enterprise, core vs. CAL, Software Assurance benefits) and help you figure out what you need. We don't sell licenses directly, but we'll make sure you're not overpaying and that your licensing covers what you're running.
Running an Old Version? Let's Fix That.
Book a free call and we'll scope your upgrade, give you a timeline, and recommend the right consulting package. No pressure, no obligation.
Book Your Free Upgrade Assessment ➜or call 1-877-891-1870