Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Extended Support Year 2 ended on July 11, 2023.
What is the Extended Security Update (ESU) program?
The Extended Security Update (ESU) program is a last resort option for customers who need to run certain legacy Microsoft products past the end of support. It includes critical and/or important security updates for a maximum of three years after the product’s End of Extended Support date.
Are Extended Security Updates (ESUs) available through CSP?
Yes. 1-year ESUs are now available through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program.
How will ESUs be distributed?
- In Azure, ESUs are automatically applied.
- In on-premises and hosted environments, there are two options to get ESUs:
- ESUs enabled by Azure Arc, where you can enroll your machines in Windows Server 2012/R2 or SQL Server 2012 ESUs via the Azure portal, connect through Azure Arc, and pay for them as an Azure billed service. You pay a monthly fee for these ESUs. There are no keys needed; the new Azure subscription performs all the authentication and replaces the need for acquisition, deployment, and management of keys. Additionally, an inventory view will show the Extended Security Update coverage of all Windows and SQL Server machines enabled by Azure Arc.
- Get ESUs through Windows Update, Windows Server Update Service, and the Microsoft Update Catalog.
How does the licensing with ESUs enabled by Azure Arc work for SQL Server 2012?
Before you can use Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc for SQL Server 2012, you must first acquire the Year 1 Extended Security Updates SKU through Commercial Licensing.
For customers who enroll in ESUs enabled by Azure Arc after the end of support dates (July 11, 2023, for SQL Server 2012 Year 2), they will be billed a one-time upfront charge for the months they missed after the end of support date, with billing coming in at the end of the month. For example, if a customer enrolls in January 2024, they will receive a one-time back-bill for October, November, and December 2023 during their first month.
More information
For further information and helpful resources, please visit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/extended-security-updates
For our vendor page of Microsoft, please visit: www.schneider.im/software/microsoft.
Please contact us for expert services on your specific Microsoft software and online services requirements and to request a quote today.