No more security patches
After 14 July 2026 Microsoft stops releasing security updates, leaving your databases exposed to newly discovered vulnerabilities.
End of extended support: 14 July 2026
SQL Server 2016 is reaching end of life.
On 14 July 2026 Microsoft stops issuing security updates for SQL Server 2016. Plan your upgrade or migration now with a proven team of senior DBAs and data engineers.
0
Days until EOL
14 Jul 2026
Extended support ends
Zero patches
After EOL date
327+
Instances upgraded
The risk of doing nothing
Why "it still works" isn't enough
Compliance exposure
Running unsupported software breaches GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI DSS and Cyber Essentials requirements around supported, patched systems.
Rising support costs
Extended Security Updates (ESU) through Azure Arc are expensive and only buy time - they don't solve the underlying obsolescence.
Performance left on the table
Modern SQL Server and Azure SQL deliver significant performance, intelligent query processing and built-in AI features 2016 cannot.
Your options
Three proven paths forward
Upgrade in place to SQL Server 2022
Stay on-premises or in your existing cloud VM. We handle compatibility checks, deprecated feature remediation and a tested cutover plan.
Migrate to Azure SQL Managed Instance
Move to a fully managed PaaS platform with near 100% SQL Server compatibility, automated patching, backups and built-in HA.
Migrate to Microsoft Fabric / Azure SQL DB
Modernise to a cloud-native data platform - ideal for analytics workloads, with elastic scale and consumption-based pricing.
How we deliver
Our 6-Step Migration Playbook
Designed to de-risk even the messiest legacy estates.
Discovery
We inventory every SQL Server 2016 instance, profile workloads, and flag deprecated features, broken dependencies and unsupported code.
Don't wait until July 2026.
Book a free 30-minute SQL Server 2016 end-of-life assessment. We'll review your estate and give you a clear, costed upgrade recommendation.