We would like to remind all customers that Mainstream Support for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 and SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 will end on April 12, 2011, and Service Pack Support for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 will end on October 11, 2011. Microsoft is ending support for these products as part of our Support Lifecycle policy, found in http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle.
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 SQL Server version ensures that your product remains supported per the Support Lifecycle policy. Additionally, your software benefits from the many enhancements, fixes, and security updates provided through the latest releases.
For SQL Server 2005 SP3 and SQL Server 2005 SP4, Microsoft will continue to provide technical support which also includes security updates during the duration of extended support. See the table below for extended support end date. Non-security hotfixes for these versions will be offered only to customers who have an Extended Hotfix Support agreement. Please refer to http://www.microsoft.com/microsoftservices/en/us/support_premier_addons_ehs.aspx for more information.
For SQL Server 2008 SP1, Microsoft is offering Custom Support for companies that have not had a chance to migrate, but wish to maintain their existing IT environment while they migrate to a supported product. If you would like further information on Custom Support please contact your Technical Account Manager or Account Representative for additional 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
7.0
SP4
12/31/2005
01/11/2011
Technical support ends as of 01/11/2011; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
ð Continue with self-help
ð Upgrade to the latest supported service pack for SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2008 R2
ð Custom support agreement
2000
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 Extended hotfix support agreement
2005
RTM (SP0)
07/10/2007
Not applicable
Technical support ends as of 07/10/2007; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
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:
SP3
04/12/2011
01/10/2012
Technical support continues till 01/10/2012, yet mainstream (hotfix) support ends as of 04/12/2011; options for hotfix support after 04/12/2011:
04/12/2016
Technical support continues till 04/12/2016, yet mainstream (hotfix) support ends as of 04/12/2011; options for hotfix support after 04/12/2011:
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 the latest supported service pack for SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2008 R2
10/11/2011
Technical support ends as of 10/11/2011; options for technical and/or hotfix support after this date:
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 R2
Thank you,
Christina Gendrano
Program Manager
SQL Server Sustained Engineering
Why is SQL 2005 SP4 ending support on 04/12/2011 when it was just released in Jan 2011? blogs.msdn.com/.../sql-server-2005-service-pack-4-is-now-available-on-microsoft-update-mu-amp-windows-update-wu.aspx. Per the notes for the other SQL Server items it is supposed to end 12 months after next release.
@Consulting Mechanic: If you check the end of life web site carefully for SQL Server 2005, you will see that mainstream support for a service pack ends 12 months after release OR when mainstream support for the core product ends, whichever comes first. This includes SP4. It just means future security updates (which they will still release) will be targetted for SP4 and not earlier service packs.
Informative!..thanks for the detail information
How does Support work with compatibility level? ie using SQL SERVER 2005 compatibility level SQL SERVER 2000.