So Long, Microsoft SQL Server 2008
I think that you’re supposed to know when it’s time to say goodbye.
– Judy Sheindlin
We get it. You’ve been running your SQL Server 2008 for ten years now, and its performance has made you very happy. It’s been as steady as a rock and helped guide your business while keeping your data safe and you really can’t ask for a better show from your database software. Unfortunately, it’s now reached the end of its support life, and that means you’re about to have a range of new problems and issues with it. When Microsoft decides to finally pull the plug on SQL Server 2008 Support in July 2019, then everyone running it will now find themselves facing a barrage of malware, viruses, vulnerabilities and everything else that the Internet can throw at it with little to no backup from the Redmond-based software giant. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing potential future vulnerabilities, risks, and other business-centric reasons to upgrade SQL Server 2008.
Just how many vulnerabilities are in SQL Server 2008? We’ve created a handy guide using Power BI that pulls data from the National Institute of Science and Technology.
As you can see, SQL Server 2008 already has several major vulnerabilities according to the NIST (although it remains one of the safest pieces of software around) and with support for it ending in less than 12 months, it’s going to become a major target for hackers. By leaving your database exposed to malicious actors, you risk the headlines of the world’s newspapers adding your name to the long list of brands such as Target, Equifax, and Yahoo. For those companies, having their security failures paraded in front of the global media led to losses in customers, profit, and brand trust.
But Wait, It’s Not All Bad News
Reading the first paragraph and looking at our Power BI chart, you can understandably be dry-heaving about all the Internet nasties about to come your way. However, there’s no reason to be scared because you’ve got enough time to deal with the problem before it becomes a major issue. Here at DB Best, we specialize in seamless database upgrades and migrations that not only ensure you’re on the most secure platform available, but that enhance your database’s capabilities. Choosing to upgrade SQL Server 2008 has numerous benefits thanks to the added features that not only make it easier to migrate to the cloud but also to shift from Windows to Linux.
Microsoft launched SQL Server 2016 with the bold claim that ‘It Just Runs Faster.’ Thanks to an overhauled codebase, hardware improvements, and newly devised scalability improvements, SQL Server 2016 blew their own developer’s minds with how fast it was performing. The improved performance has led to significant cuts in operations costs for companies because it uses substantially fewer cores to run the same number of operations.
Saving Money, You Say?
SQL Server 2017 has led to companies slashing their operations costs thanks to changes implemented in the latest update. How? As well as conserving power, SQL Server 2017 can now run on Linux which significantly drops the running price. By choosing to upgrade SQL Server 2008, customers open up huge cost saving potential. In fact, our customers have seen their running costs slashed by up to 60% thanks to a combination of migrating to the cloud, consolidating databases and more.
Our technicians and engineers have helped countless customers merge their data handling, through a range of nifty tricks such as virtualization and failover clusters, have left accountants and CFOs happier than ever.
From Mirroring to the Cloud
Before SQL Server 2012, Database Mirroring was your go-to method to ensure high availability. Now, thanks to upgrades across the SQL Server system and the cloud, you can have Always On Availability Groups which safeguards the high availability of your database while also giving you the option of moving off your current on-prem status and implementing cloud-based databases. Advances in SQL Server 2017 Always On Availability Groups makes it easier than ever to provide greater high-availability with Azure should your datacenter suffer a complete outage. The added scalability of a cloud-based solution makes it an ideal prospect for start-ups and small businesses to Enterprise-level, global companies. In the data world, clouds are no longer harbingers of rain but allow your database to live another sunny day.
As End of Support draws nearer, the benefits of newer editions of SQL Server should make you question why you don’t want to upgrade SQL Server 2008.
So Long, Farewell, Adieu
No one wants to give up the system that has worked so well for them over the past decade, and while it can be a frightening prospect for some, it can be the chance to implement those changes you’ve always wanted but never have gone with. The pathway to upgrade SQL Server 2008 might be scary, but hopefully now, the benefits and flexibility of newer SQL Server editions are obvious. Cloud computing? Check! Saving money? Check! Increase database efficiency, security, and availability? Check, check, and check! The unvarnished truth is that, come July 2019, you’re going to want to upgrade SQL Server 2008 and postponing the inevitable isn’t the smartest choice. It’s going to be a dangerous liability, and one that could seriously come back to bite you should something happen to your data.
It may seem that a year is a long time to decide, but it’s really not. The best thing to do right now, before you get up and make another cup of coffee, is to schedule some time to talk with our experts to see what options are available. Don’t fall victim to apathy because, if you do, the next time you see your company’s name in the press it could be because you’re trying to explain just why an out-of-date SQL was so important to you.
Where to Go from Here?
Check out our links below to see our work in data optimization, how you can save money through server virtualization and consolidation. Make sure to watch our webinar on reducing your risk with a bulletproof SQL Server upgrade program with DB Best.
