[German]At the end of June 2022, Microsoft indicated that support for products such as Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Microsoft SQL Server 2012 will end in the foreseeable future. SQL Server 2012 is due for its next patchday in July 2022 and will no longer receive updates in the future. With Windows Server 2012/2012 R2, administrators still have some grace, but the whole thing can be extended via ESU until October 2023.
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I had already pointed out the end of support for Windows 8.1 at the end of June 2022 (Windows 8.1 will show end of support nag screens starting July 2022 untill Jan. 2023) and also mentioned that the end of support for Windows Server 20212/R2 was not that far away. As of June 30, 2022, Microsoft then published the document SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 end of support on the topic, pointing out various dates when support for products will end.
Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 will receive security updates for the last time on Patchday, July 12, 2022, and will fall out of support as of that date. Customers, can upgrade to SQL Server 2019 as an on-premises solution. In addition, customers with Software Assurance under an Enterprise Agreement have the option to purchase ESU licenses for SQL Server 2012 to continue to receive support with security updates for longer.
Microsoft recommends customers migrate applications and databases to Azure to keep them running securely. Azure SQL Managed Instance is fully managed and always updated (PaaS), it says.
Windows Server 2012 / R2 ESU
Windows Server 2012 has already fallen out of mainstream support as of Oct. 9, 2018, but will still get security updates until Oct. 10, 2023, according to this website, so there is still plenty of time to migrate to successor versions.
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Those who cannot replace Windows Server 2012 by this date will also have the option to purchase so-called annual Extendend Security Update (ESU) licenses and thus extend support until October 13, 2026.
Windows Server 2012 R2 has a similar situation, as this operating system version also fell out of mainstream support on October 9, 2018, and will also still get security updates until October 10, 2023, according to this website.
Those who cannot replace Windows Server 2012 by that date will also have the option to purchase so-called annual Extending Security Update (ESU) licenses, extending support until Oct. 13, 2026.
Offers from Microsoft
For Windows Server 2012/R2, there is the option to upgrade to Windows Server 2019 (or Windows Server 2022) if one wants to continue to rely on on-premises solution.
Alternatively, Microsoft offers the switch to the Azure cloud. Back in July 2021, Microsoft pointed out in this article that customers can also move to virtual machines in Azure (also includesAzure Dedicated Host, Azure VMware Solution and Azure Stack (Hub, HCI, Edge)) to receive three additional years of free advanced security updates. This offer applies to all products mentioned here in the post, as you can read on this Microsoft page about Azure.
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