The Risks of Staying on Unsupported SQL Server Versions

Microsoft is officially ending extended support for SQL Server 2016 in July 2026, and SQL Server 2017 is ending extended support in October 2027. Businesses that still use either of these SQL Servers will face various risks beyond losing updates if they don’t act now.

The landscape of cyber threats is growing and businesses are facing increasing pressure to modernise, otherwise they could be in breach of compliance, add on unnecessary costs and face the inability to utilise the latest features and support.

What Does SQL Server End of Support Mean?

SQL Server is the main system that powers critical operations, stores payment records, stock levels, product information and analytics for many businesses across the UK and worldwide. Microsoft updates SQL Server every few years, meaning old versions stop receiving core and extended support. This is known as End of Support (EOS).

Businesses still using SQL 2016 will no longer receive security updates or patches, product or software improvements, and will typically face difficulty storing new information and getting support if things go wrong.

Without updates and support for SQL Server 2016, your business is open to several critical risks.

The Risks of Continuing to Run Unsupported SQL Server Versions

Increased Cyber Security Risks

With Microsoft no longer providing extended support, your business will be vulnerable to emerging threats. Businesses using unsupported SQL Server versions will be far more exposed to threats such as ransomware, malware and phishing cyber attacks.

If you run an SME with limited internal resources, seeking out professional cyber security services will ensure your business remains protected against the various and evolving cyber threats.

Compliance and Regulatory Challenges

While every business still using SQL Server 2016 will be affected, regulated industries like finance, healthcare and public sector organisations with strict compliance requirements will face serious consequences for breaches in compliance.

Audits for GDPR, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials will flag the unsupported software, which can result in penalties. Your business won’t be able to demonstrate appropriate cyber security controls, damaging reputation and affecting relationships with clients.

Rising Operational Risk

Eventually, other key technologies will evolve while your SQL Server version remains in the past. If you are relying on an unsupported version, you’ll face issues with integrating newer technologies, further affecting compliance with industry standards and causing major disruption to the wider infrastructure. SQL 2016 is incompatible with Windows 11 and Windows Server 2019, so you won’t be able to upgrade your network.

If you do face downtime or unexpected failures, there’ll be no hotfixes available, no Microsoft support and very limited access to community or vendor assistance. The downtime will wreck productivity and data recovery will become seriously difficult, both of which will directly affect customer satisfaction and revenue.

Higher Long-Term Costs

It is the End of Support for SQL Server version 2016, which means without migrating to a new version, your business will be throwing money down the drain with the amount of maintenance, from higher IT support costs and more frequent monitoring to manual troubleshooting and compatibility workarounds.

Microsoft will provide Extended Security Updates (ESUs) after End of Support, but this is a paid programme with very high costs and is only designed as a temporary bridge while organisations migrate to a supported version.

Why Businesses Should Start Planning Now

Businesses must act now and plan a migration to a supported SQL Server version. However, migration takes time. Simple migrations with standard features can take anywhere between two to three months. More complex migrations with application testing, custom code and large data volumes can take up to a year to complete.

Planning early will help your business avoid costly last-minute upgrades or temporary ESUs. Choosing to upgrade through careful planning is a perfect opportunity to review your business’s current SQL infrastructure, reduce disruption and align upgrades with wide IT and cloud strategies. You’ll be beginning the journey to optimise your software, adhere to industry standards and have the latest cyber security measures in place.

Modernisation Opens New Opportunities

Switching to a supported SQL Server provides far more than continued support. It gives your business access to improved performance, stronger security and a platform that can grow alongside your organisation.

• Improved performance

Newer versions of SQL server include performance enhancements that help databases process queries more efficiently, reducing delays and improving the responsiveness of business-critical applications.

• Enhanced security

Supported versions receive ongoing security updates and include newer security features, helping to protect sensitive data against evolving cyber threats.

• Better scalability

As your business grows, a modern SQL Server can handle increasing amounts of data, users and workloads more effectively without compromising performance.

• Access to the latest SQL Server features

Upgrading allows your organisation to take advantage of new capabilities, improved management tools and performance optimisations that are unavailable with SQL Server 2016.

• An opportunity to explore cloud services

A migration project is an ideal time to evaluate Azure SQL and other cloud-based services, which can offer greater flexibility, resilience and simplified management for the right organisations.

• Support for future business growth

A supported database platform provides a stable foundation for adopting new software, integrating with modern technologies and supporting your business as its requirements evolve.

Planning Your SQL Server Migration

A successful SQL Server migration starts with careful planning. Taking the time to understand your existing environment helps minimise disruption and ensures your business continues operating smoothly throughout the upgrade process.

• Assess your current SQL environment to understand your existing infrastructure, workloads and dependencies.
• Identify unsupported SQL Server versions and prioritise systems that pose the greatest security or operational risk.
• Review business-critical databases to determine how they will be affected and plan appropriate testing.
• Build a phased migration plan that reduces downtime and allows each stage to be completed safely.
• Work with an experienced IT partner to manage the migration, resolve compatibility issues and keep disruption to a minimum.

Don’t Wait Until Support Ends

Continuing to rely on an unsupported SQL Server increases security risks, compatibility issues and long-term maintenance costs. The longer you delay upgrading, the greater the likelihood of unexpected downtime, compliance challenges and expensive emergency migrations.

If you’re unsure which version of SQL server your business is running or need help planning your next steps, the team at Optimising IT can help. From SQL server upgrades and database migrations to long-term modernisation planning, we’ll help you move to a secure, supported platform with minimal disruption. Contact us today.