Changes / Databases & SQL tools / Microsoft SQL Server

End of supporthigh impact

SQL Server 2016 (incl. SSIS/SSAS/SSRS 2016) reaches end of support

SQL Server 2016 reached end of support on July 14, 2026, so Microsoft no longer provides regular security updates or technical support; paid ESU is offered as a bridge.

In effectsince Jul 14, 2026 (95 days ago)

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Who’s affected

Anyone still running SQL Server 2016 in production, including the SSIS, SSAS and SSRS 2016 components, on-premises, on Azure VMs, on Azure VMware Solution or multi-cloud. Support ended on 2026-07-14, so these instances now get no regular security updates or technical support.

Not affected: Teams already on a newer SQL Server version, or on a managed service such as Azure SQL, where this end-of-support date does not apply.

What it costs

No ESU price is stated in the record, so you cannot size the bridge cost yet. Costs come from paid ESU while you stay on 2016, or from upgrade or migration effort (testing, licensing, downtime) if you move.

Run the End-of-support runway →

When to act

Support has already ended, so every month on 2016 is unpatched exposure, and a tested upgrade or migration of database, SSIS, SSAS and SSRS typically takes 4-6 months.

Blast radius: Dependent SSIS ETL packages, SSAS cubes and SSRS reports, BI dashboards connected to these servers, linked servers, connection strings and any security/compliance attestations that require supported software.

What should you do? decision tree

  1. you are not sure which servers and components still run SQL Server 2016
    Inventory instances, including SSIS packages, SSAS cubes and SSRS reports, and rank them by business criticality and data sensitivity.
  2. the workload is in Azure (Azure VMs or Azure VMware Solution) or can be enrolled via Azure Arc and you can't migrate soon
    Get a quote for paid ESU and treat it as a short-term bridge with a firm exit date.
  3. the database has no hard dependency on SQL Server-only features and you have migration capacity
    Move to a supported SQL Server version or Azure SQL, and test SSIS/SSAS/SSRS workloads first.
  4. the workload is small, internet-facing or holds regulated data
    Prioritize it first: isolate the network and upgrade or migrate before low-risk internal systems.
  5. none of the above fits yet
    Isolate and restrict access to the 2016 servers, document the risk acceptance, and schedule the upgrade on a dated plan.

Options

Alternatives editorial picks, not sponsored

Azure SQLManaged, closest fit for T-SQL workloads; less patching burden.
PostgreSQLOpen-source option for teams ready to rewrite T-SQL and drop licensing.

The facts straight from the source

Vendor / product
Microsoft SQL Server · SQL Server 2016
Change
End of support
Effective
Jul 14, 2026
Microsoft no longer provides regular security updates or technical support. Paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) are offered as a short-term bridge.
Plans affected
SQL Server 2016
Existing contracts
Paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available for workloads in Azure (including SQL Server on Azure VMs and Azure VMware Solution) and on-premises or multi-cloud via Azure Arc. No ESU price is stated in the text.
Source
microsoft.com
Evidence
“As of today, July 14, 2026, SQL Server 2016 has reached end of support.”

Date as quoted: “As of today, July 14, 2026”

Facts above are extracted from the source and checked word-for-word before publishing. The guidance sections are AI-assisted analysis based only on those facts: a starting point, not legal or procurement advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.

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