We would like to remind all customers that Service Pack Support for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on January 12, 2010 and support for SQL Server 2008 RTM will end on April 13, 2010. Microsoft is ending support for these products as part of our Service Pack support policy, found in http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle.
Both SQL Server 2005 SP2 and SQL Server 2008 RTM will no longer receive assisted support or security updates from Microsoft after their respective end of support dates. Self-Help online support will continue to be available for a minimum of 12 months after the product reaches the end of support. Self-Help options include public knowledge base articles, FAQs, troubleshooting tools which are typically available from http://support.microsoft.com and the Microsoft Download Center.
Customers are encouraged to prepare and execute on their upgrade and/or sustained engineering plans as early as possible for these SQL versions. Remaining current on your service pack installation ensures that your products remain supported per the Support Lifecycle policy. Additionally, your software benefits from the many enhancements, fixes, and security updates provided through the latest service pack.
For Premier Support customers who anticipate they will not be able to complete their migration for these products by the transition date and need additional support from Microsoft, Custom Support is also available for purchase. Please contact your Technical Account Manager, Account Representative or Application Development consultant for details.
Below is a more detailed table listing versions in or close to end of the support cycle, together with possible options / actions.
Product
Version
SP
Mainstream Support End Date
Extended Support End Date
Options / Notes
SQL Server
2000
SP4
04/08/2008
04/09/2013
Technical support continues till 04/09/2013, yet mainstream (hotfix) support ends as of 04/08/2008; options for hotfix support after 04/08/2008:
ð Upgrade to SQL Server 2005 SP3 or SQL Server 2008 SP1
ð Extended support agreement
2005
RTM (SP0)
07/10/2007
Technical support ends as of 07/10/2007; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
ð Continue with self-help
SP1
Not Applicable
Technical support ends as of 04/08/2008; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
SP2
01/12/2010
Technical support ends as of 01/12/2010; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
ð Custom support agreement
SP3
See Options/Notes
Support ends 12 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first. Visit the Lifecycle page to find the support timelines for your particular product.
2008
RTM
(SP0)
04/13/2010
Technical support ends as of 04/13/2010; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
ð Upgrade to SQL Server 2008 SP1
Thank you,
Christina Gendrano
Program Manager
SQL Server Sustained Engineering