Announced recently, the new Extended Security Updates which gives you 3 years free extended security updates past the end of Extended Support for:

• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• SQL Server 2008
• SQL Server 2008 R2

To make use of the Extended Security Updates offer for the versions of software above, you just need to either:

• Migrate your Windows Server 2008/R2 or SQL Server 2008/R2 workloads to Azure
• Purchase Extended Security Updates to get 3 more years of security updates for Windows Server 2008/R2 or SQL Server 2008/R2

Extended Security Updates is not to be confused with Mainstream Support & Extended Support.

A bit of history… Microsoft Lifecycle Policy offers 10 years of support (5 years for Mainstream Support and 5 years for Extended Support) for Business and Developer products (such as SQL Server and Windows Server).

So this is what Extended Support looks like for:

• Windows Server 2008/R2
• SQL Server 2008/R2

Extended Security Updates in Azure:

• Customers who migrate workloads to Azure virtual machines will have access to Extended Security Updates for both SQL Server and Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 for three years after the End of Support deadlines, included at no additional charge over the standard VM pricing.Eligible customers can also use the Azure Hybrid Benefit to leverage existing on-premises license investments for Windows Server and SQL Server to save on Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS) or Azure SQL Database Managed Instance (PaaS).

Extended Security Updates for on-premises environments:

• Extended Security Updates will also be available for workloads running on-premises or in a hosting environment. Customers running Windows Server or SQL Server under licenses with active Software Assurance or Subscription licenses under an Enterprise Agreement enrollment are eligible to purchase Extended Security Updates annually for three years after End of Support. Customers can purchase Extended Security Updates for only the servers they need to cover. This offer replaces Premium Assurance. Extended Security Updates pricing will be 75% (annually) of the full list license prices of the latest version of SQL Server or Windows Server.

Migrate your applications to Azure VMs and you can get:

• 3 more years of Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 at no additional charge, above standard VM prices

Migrate your data to Azure managed instances or VMs and you can get:

• A version-free option of Azure SQL Database Managed Instances
  • Azure SQL Database Managed Instance is a fully-managed data platform (PaaS) that offers a version-free option to eliminate concerns with end of support dates
• 3 more years of Extended Security Updates for SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 at no additional charge

OR take advantage of the Azure Hybrid Benefit:

• The Azure Hybrid Benefit can help you save 55%* for SQL Server and up to 49%** for Windows Server by using your on-premises licenses (vs. pay-as-you-use). Also, the Azure Hybrid Benefit and Azure Reserved Instances can help you save up to 67%*** for Windows Server VMs (compared to AWS)

If you chose to upgrade on-premises to Windows Server 2016 or 2019 and SQL Server 2017 you can leverage the security updates you need.

• If you must stay on Windows Server 2008. You have the option to buy Extended Security Updates to get 3 more years of security updates for Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2. Then, upgrade when you are ready

*Pay a reduced rate on vCore-based options and save in highly-virtualized scenarios
***AWS r4.xlarge, Windows, US West (Oregon) convertible 3-year Term, all upfront vs. Azure E4 v3, Windows, West US 2, 3 Year Reserved with Azure Hybrid Benefit
**Pay a basic compute rate for your Windows Server VMs in Azure

Can I use Extended Security Updates on other cloud/hosting environments?

For Windows Server, when paying the hoster for the underlying Windows Server license, customers can purchase Extended Security Updates from Microsoft for use on their hosted instances. Pricing is based on Windows Server Standard per core pricing, at a minimum of 16 cores per instance.

For SQL Server, customers with License Mobility through Software Assurance may also purchase Extended Security Updates from Microsoft to use in virtual machines properly licensed to run in an authorized License Mobility partner’s data center. See the Microsoft Licensing site for availability and use rights for the End of Support Offering.

The following table describes pricing for Extended Security Updates in various hosted scenarios.

Can customers leverage Extended Security Updates for SQL Server with a third party hoster?

Customers cannot use Extended Security Updates if they move their SQL Server 2008 environment to a PaaS implementation on other cloud offerings.

If customers are looking to move to IaaS, they can leverage License Mobility for SQL Server via Software Assurance to make the move, and purchase Extended Security Updates from Microsoft to manually apply patches to the SQL Server 2008/2008 R2 instances running in a VM (IaaS) at another cloud provider. However, free Extended Security Updates and the Azure Hybrid Benefit are only available on Azure.

Action Items & Next Steps

Assess

Inventory Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 workloads in your environment and determine migration path.

Migrate

Migrate your legacy SQL Server and Windows Server with guidance, resources and tools.  Leverage the new Azure Database Migration Service to move SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance with few or no application code changes.

Optimize

Leverage Software Assurance benefits and Azure services to manage and grow your environment.

FAQs & other Links

• Extended Security Updates for SQL Server & Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 FAQ
• Azure Hybrid Benefit FAQs
• Software Assurance FAQs
• License Mobility Overview