SQL Server 2016 is out of support: your options
Microsoft ended extended support for SQL Server 2016 on July 14, 2026. Here are the options, what each involves, and what to watch for.Upgrade, move to Azure, or buy ESUs: what each involves.
Ardentech Solutions Inc. · ardentechsolutions.com · Last reviewed October 25, 2026
Microsoft ended extended support for SQL Server 2016 on July 14, 2026. Your databases still run, but you now need a plan. Here are the options, and what to watch for in each.
Where things stand
SQL Server 2016 still starts and runs. But Microsoft no longer provides routine security updates or support for it unless you buy Extended Security Updates (ESUs). That can matter for security reviews, audits, and vendor support, and it matters more the longer you wait.
If you are still working out which versions you run and when each one ends, start with our end-of-support checklist.
Your options
Microsoft describes three broad paths: upgrade, move to Azure, or stay where you are and buy ESUs. In practice that gives five choices:
| Option | What it means | Often a good fit when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrade on your own servers | Move to a current SQL Server version, such as SQL Server 2022 or 2025, usually on a current Windows Server. | You want full control, or your databases must stay on-premises. | Up-front cost, your own hardware and management, possible downtime during the upgrade, and an operating system upgrade if yours is also out of support. |
| Azure SQL Managed Instance | A fully managed Azure service that closely resembles an on-premises SQL Server instance. Azure handles patching and backups. | You want fewer servers to look after and can move most databases with little change. | Some Transact-SQL differences and unsupported features, a 32 TB combined storage limit, extra networking setup, and a cost that can be higher than a virtual machine. |
| SQL Server on an Azure virtual machine | The same SQL Server, running on a virtual machine in Azure. You can upgrade during the move or move as-is. | You need operating system access, or the fastest move with the least change. | You still manage SQL Server and the operating system, and networking needs setting up. Moving 2016 as-is leaves it out of support, and ESUs for 2016 are a paid subscription. |
| Azure SQL Database (Hyperscale) | A fully managed database service for larger workloads, supporting up to 128 TB per database. | You are modernizing and your applications can adapt. | It differs from SQL Server. Applications that use cross-database queries, linked servers, or SQL Server Agent jobs may need changes. |
| Extended Security Updates (ESUs) | Stay as you are and receive Critical security updates for up to three years. | An application needs time to be tested or recertified and you cannot move yet. | Critical security fixes only: no other fixes or new features, limited support, and it is temporary. A subscription is required. |
What ESUs do and do not cover
- ESUs deliver security updates rated Critical, and only when Microsoft finds a vulnerability that rating, so there is no regular schedule.
- They do not include new features, improvements, or other fixes. If you hit a non-security bug, Microsoft will not release a fix for it.
- Support is limited to problems installing or activating the updates.
- For SQL Server 2016, Microsoft's lifecycle page lists the ESU periods running to July 2029.
- You can get them for instances connected to Azure Arc (with Software Assurance under qualifying agreements, or pay-as-you-go) and for SQL Server on Azure virtual machines.
How to choose
Most organizations end up with a mix, with different instances taking different paths. These questions help sort them:
- How many instances do you have, and how critical is each one?
- Does any application need a specific SQL Server version, or operating system access?
- Which features are in use: linked servers, SQL Server Agent jobs, cross-database queries, SSIS, SSRS?
- How much downtime can each system accept?
- What does your licensing allow, including Software Assurance?
- Who will run it day to day after the move?
A Health Check answers most of these in a week
Our SQL Server Health Check reviews performance, availability, backups, and security, and gives you a prioritized fix list, so you decide with facts.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for the deadline. Testing and application sign-off often take longer than people expect.
- Upgrading SQL Server but not the operating system underneath it.
- Changing the SQL Server version and the database compatibility level at the same time. Microsoft suggests keeping the compatibility level at first, to limit changes in behavior.
- Buying ESUs without a plan to leave. They run for up to three years and then stop.
- Using one answer for every instance. Different instances often need different paths.
Sources
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