sql-server-extended-security-updates.md

title	description	author	ms.author	ms.date	ms.service	ms.subservice	ms.topic	ms.custom	monikerRange
What are Extended Security Updates?	Learn about Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc, for your end-of-support and end-of-life SQL Server products such as SQL Server 2012.	rwestMSFT	randolphwest	07/31/2024	sql	install	conceptual	references_regions	>=sql-server-2016

What are Extended Security Updates for SQL Server?

[!INCLUDE SQL Server end of support]

This article provides information how to receive Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for versions of [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] that are out of extended support.

Extended Security Updates (ESUs) are available for [!INCLUDE ssSQL11] and [!INCLUDE sssql14-md].

ESUs released for [!INCLUDE sssql14-md] include the most recent cumulative update (CU). If you only applied general distribution release (GDR) updates during the normal support period, we recommend that you install and validate the latest CU at the time you subscribe to receive ESUs, instead of waiting until the first ESU is released. This preemptive validation avoids potential issues when installing the ESU later.

[!INCLUDE esu-table]

ESUs are made available if needed, once a security vulnerability is discovered and is rated as Critical by the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC). Therefore, there's no regular release cadence for [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] ESUs.

ESUs don't include:

• New features
• Functional improvements
• Customer-requested fixes

For information about ESU pricing, see Plan your Windows Server and SQL Server end of support.

For more information about other options, see SQL Server end of support options.

You can also review the Frequently asked questions.

Overview

When [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] reaches the end of its support lifecycle, you can sign up for an Extended Security Update (ESU) subscription. The subscription protects your servers for up to three years after the support lifecycle ends. Keep the subscription until you're ready to upgrade to a newer version of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] or migrate to Azure SQL.

The method of receiving Extended Security Updates depends on where your [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is running.

Azure

On Azure, services have access to ESUs for [!INCLUDE ssSQL11] and [!INCLUDE ssSQL14] for up to three years after the end of support, at no additional charge above the cost of running the Azure service. If you can't connect your [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instance to Azure Arc, you don't qualify for this offer.

To configure Azure services to receive ESUs, review the documentation for the specific service:

• SQL Server on Azure VMs
• Azure VMware Solution (AVS)
• Azure Stack Hub
• Azure Stack HCI

On-premises or hosted environments

In all other cases, you can purchase Extended Security Updates if you qualify. To qualify for receiving Extended Security Updates (ESU), you must have Software Assurance under one of the following agreements:

• Enterprise Agreement (EA)
• Enterprise Agreement Subscription (EAS)
• Server and Cloud Enrollment (SCE)
• Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES)

You can also qualify by connecting your [!INCLUDE ssSQL11] and [!INCLUDE ssSQL14] instances to Azure Arc, and enable a pay-as-you-go billing option. For more information, see Automatically connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc.

There are two ways to purchase ESUs:

• You can purchase an Extended Security Update plan for up to three years after the end of support date directly from [!INCLUDE msCoName] or a [!INCLUDE msCoName] licensing partner. For more information, see Register Extended Security Updates purchased through volume licensing.

• If your [!INCLUDE ssSQL11] and [!INCLUDE ssSQL14] instances are connected to Azure Arc, you can enable ESUs as a subscription. For more information, see Subscribe to Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc.

The following table shows the differences between the two options:

Option	How to purchase	Key features
ESU plan	Volume licensing center	- Supports [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances not connected to Azure Arc - Each year of coverage must be purchased separately, must be paid in full, and is differently priced - Requires registration on Azure portal - Supports manual installation of patches
ESU subscription	Microsoft Azure	- The covered [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances must be connected to Azure Arc - Continuous coverage until canceled - Billed by Azure on an hourly basis - Can be manually canceled at any time - Automatic cancellation when migrated to Azure or upgraded to a supported version - Supports automatic and manual installation of patches

Note

Connecting or registering instances is free of charge. Both connected and registered instances don't incur additional charges when downloading ESUs, which are delivered through the Azure portal.

For more information, see the Extended Security Updates frequently asked questions.

Support

ESUs don't include technical support for either on-premises or hosted environments. For on-premises environments, you can receive technical support on workloads covered by ESUs through additional active support contracts such as Software Assurance or Premier/Unified Support. Alternatively, if you're hosting on Azure, you can use an Azure Support plan to get technical support.

Subscribe to Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc

[!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] enabled by Azure Arc supports a method of receiving ESUs as a subscription billed through Azure. For details, see SQL Server Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc.

Register Extended Security Updates purchased through volume licensing

If you purchased an ESU product through volume licensing (VL) for the [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances that aren't connected to Azure Arc, you must first register these servers on the Azure portal and link the ESU invoice as proof of purchase.

Register disconnected SQL Server instances on Azure portal

If your on-premises or hosted environment [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances can't be connected to Azure Arc, you can manually register your [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] instances in the Azure portal to enable access to the ESUs. If you prefer to take advantage of the flexibility of Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc, connect your server to Azure Arc. To connect, follow the steps in Automatically connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc.

The following example shows how to manually register your [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances in a disconnected state, in the Azure portal.

Prerequisites

1. If you don't already have an Azure subscription, you can create an account using one of the following methods:

   • Create a Microsoft Customer Agreement subscription
   • Create an Enterprise Agreement subscription
   • Create an Azure account with pay-as-you-go pricing
   • Create a free Azure account

2. The user creating disconnected Arc-enabled [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] resources must have the following permissions:

   • Microsoft.AzureArcData/sqlServerInstances/read
   • Microsoft.AzureArcData/sqlServerInstances/write

   Users can be assigned to the Azure Connected SQL Server Onboarding role to get those specific permissions, or they can be assigned to built-in roles such as Contributor or Owner that have these permissions. For more information, see Assign Azure roles using the Azure portal.

3. Register the Microsoft.AzureArcData resource provider in your Azure subscription:

   • Sign in to the Azure portal.

   • Navigate to your subscription, and select Resource providers.

   • If the Microsoft.AzureArcData resource provider isn't listed, you can add it to your subscription using the Register option.

4. If you use Azure policies that only allow the creation of specific resource types, you need to allow the Microsoft.AzureArcData/sqlServerInstances resource type. If it isn't allowed, the SQLServerInstances_Update operation fails with a 'deny' Policy action log entry in the activity log of the subscription.

You can either register a single SQL Server instance, or upload a CSV file to register multiple SQL Server instances in bulk.

Single SQL Server instance

1. Sign into the Azure portal.

2. Navigate to Azure Arc and select Data services > SQL Server instances.

3. To register a disconnected machine, select Add from the menu at the top of the screen.

4. Select Register Servers to add a disconnected [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instance.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-add-connected-or-registered.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the two options for adding connected or registered servers." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-add-connected-or-registered.png":::

5. Specify Single SQL Instance. This is the default value.

6. Choose the Subscription and Resource group for your registered [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instance.

7. Provide the required information as is detailed in this table, and then select Next:

   Value	Description	Additional information
   Instance Name	Enter the output of command SELECT @@SERVERNAME, such as MyServer\Instance01.	If you have a named instance, you must replace the backslash (\) with a hyphen (-). For example, MyServer\Instance01 becomes MyServer-Instance01.
   SQL Server Version	Select your version from the dropdown list.
   Edition	Select the applicable edition from the dropdown list: Datacenter, Developer (free to deploy if purchased ESUs), Enterprise, Standard, Web, Workgroup.
   Cores	Enter the number of cores for this instance
   Host Type	Select the applicable host type from the dropdown list: Virtual machine (on-premises), Physical Server (on-premises), Azure Virtual Machine, Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine, Other.

8. You must confirm that you have the rights to receive Extended Security Updates, using the checkbox provided. The ESU checkbox is only visible when you select [!INCLUDE sssql11-md].

Multiple SQL Server instances in bulk

Multiple [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] instances can be registered in bulk by uploading a .CSV file. Once your .CSV file is formatted correctly, you can follow these steps to bulk register your [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] instances with Azure Arc:

1. Sign into the Azure portal.

2. Navigate to Azure Arc and select Data services > SQL Server instances.

3. To register a disconnected machine, select Add from the menu at the top of the screen.

4. Select Register Servers to add a disconnected [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instance.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-add-connected-or-registered.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the two options for adding connected or registered servers." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-add-connected-or-registered.png":::

5. Select the option for Multiple SQL Instances.

6. Select the Browse icon to upload the CSV file containing multiple disconnected [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances.

7. You must confirm that you have the rights to receive Extended Security Updates, using the checkbox provided.

Once you add your [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances, you'll see them in the portal after a few minutes. Because they were added manually, they always show in a disconnected state, with the description Registered.

:::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-connected-servers.png" alt-text="Screenshot of two registered SQL Server instances on the Azure Arc portal." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-connected-servers.png":::

Formatting requirements for CSV file

• Values are comma-separated

• Values aren't single or double-quoted

• Values can include letters, numbers, hyphens (-), and underscores (_). No other special characters can be used. If you have a named instance, you must replace the backslash (\) with a hyphen (-). For example, MyServer\Instance01 becomes MyServer-Instance01.

• Column names are case-sensitive and must be named as follows:

  • name
  • version
  • edition
  • cores
  • hostType

Example CSV file

The CSV file should look like this:

name,version,edition,cores,hostType
Server1-SQL2014,SQL Server 2014,Enterprise,12,Other Physical Server
Server2-SQL2014,SQL Server 2014,Enterprise,24,Other Physical Server
Server3-SQL2014,SQL Server 2014,Enterprise,12,Azure Virtual Machine
Server4-SQL2014,SQL Server 2014,Standard,8,Azure VMware Solution

Link ESU invoice

You can use the Purchase Order Number under Invoice Summary in their Microsoft invoice (as shown in the following screenshot) for the Invoice ID value to link the ESU purchase with the [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances.

:::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-sample.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Sample invoice with Purchase Order Number highlighted.":::

Follow these steps to link an ESU invoice to your Azure Arc [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instances to get access to extended updates. This example includes both Connected and Registered servers.

1. Sign into the Azure portal.

2. Navigate to Azure Arc and select SQL Server instances.

3. Use the checkboxes next to each [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] instance you would like to link, and then select Link ESU invoice.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-select.png" alt-text="Screenshot of all SQL Server instances on the Azure Arc section." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-select.png":::

4. Fill in the ESU invoice number in the Invoice ID section, and then select Link invoice.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-save.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the invoice ID on the Link ESU invoice page." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-save.png":::

5. The servers you linked to the ESU invoice now show a valid ESU expiration date.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-linked.png" alt-text="Screenshot of SQL Server instances with a valid ESU expiration value." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-invoice-linked.png":::

Important

When registering an ESU VL product for disconnected [!INCLUDE ssnoversion-md] servers, you should only select the instances with the Status of Registered.

Download ESUs

Once your [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] instances are registered with Azure Arc, you can download the Extended Security Update packages using the link found in the Azure portal, if and when they're made available.

To download ESUs, follow these steps:

1. Sign into the Azure portal.

2. Navigate to Azure Arc and select SQL Server instances.

3. Select a server from the list.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-list-of-servers.png" alt-text="Screenshot of a list of servers, with one server highlighted." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-list-of-servers.png":::

4. Download security updates from here, if and when they're made available.

   :::image type="content" source="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-available-updates.png" alt-text="Screenshot of available security updates." lightbox="media/sql-server-extended-security-updates/extended-security-updates-available-updates.png":::

Supported regions

[!INCLUDE azure-arc-data-regions]

Government regions aren't supported. For more information, see Can customers get free Extended Security Updates on Azure Government regions?

Frequently asked questions

For the full list of frequently asked questions, review the Extended Security Updates: Frequently asked questions.

Related content

• SQL Server 2012 lifecycle page
• SQL Server 2014 lifecycle page
• SQL Server end of support page
• Extended Security Updates frequently asked questions (FAQ)
• Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC)
• Update Management overview
• Automated Patching for SQL Server on Azure virtual machines
• Microsoft Data Migration Guide
• Azure migrate: lift-and-shift options to move your current SQL Server into an Azure VM
• Cloud adoption framework for SQL migration
• ESU-related scripts on GitHub