June 29, 2015 at 1:18 pm
We are an organization that we cannot afford time and money to catch up with SQL server version upgrade, - I mean always keep the most recent release of SQL servers.
I would like to know from other DBAs what is your upgrade cycle for your SQL servers?
Like how many years you upgrade your SQL servers, and when is your chosen time to upgrade, for example whenever there is a new release, or after service pack 2 comes out etc?
Thanks,
July 1, 2015 at 4:15 am
For me it depends. Our team (me) is too small to keep up with the latest and greatest, I am driven by the business need for a SQL version. Failing that if the version is close to end of main stream support I start building the newer SQL version in dev / pre-prod ready for live promotion. (pending testing / stress testing etc).
cheers.
July 1, 2015 at 9:40 am
Typically I install new instances at the latest version. Mostly because that's what I can buy.
I used to look to upgrade periodically, which is when Microsoft released. Years ago I heard a Fortune 20 company say their policy was a server had to last 10 years. At the time I though that was crazy (SQL 7/2000 days). Now I agree. I need a server to last 10 years because it's expensive.
If there's a compelling reason to move, usually scale related, I will, but otherwise not. We run SQL 2k8 here, upgraded 4-5 years ago, but we were SQL 2000 from 2001-2010 or so. Worked fine. No real compelling reason to switch other than the movement to a new server and the IT people unhappy about trying to get drivers for W2K/SQL2K.
July 1, 2015 at 9:47 am
Also depends on the software being supported. If you are running third party software you are at the mercy of the vendor. If they don't support the newest version, you have to wait to upgrade. Or, changes may push an upgrade of SQL Server. This happened at a previous employer. Changes they made required an upgrade from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005.
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