Solid and Reliable.
We use MSSQL Server along with SSIS and SSRS as it's a very competent software suite and very stable. It integrates well with other …
Starting at $1,418 Per License
View PricingOverview
What is Microsoft SQL Server?
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database.
Recent Reviews
Awards
Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
Subscription
$1,418.00
Cloud
Per License
Enterprise
$13,748.00
Cloud
Per License
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Product Demos
An Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server's Statistics
YouTube
Introduction to Transact SQLÂ (T-SQL) using Microsoft SQL Server
YouTube
Product Details
- About
- Integrations
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Microsoft SQL Server?
Microsoft SQL Server Video
Watch What is Microsoft SQL?
Microsoft SQL Server Integrations
Microsoft SQL Server Technical Details
| Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database.
Reviewers rate Usability highest, with a score of 9.9.
The most common users of Microsoft SQL Server are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
Comparisons
Compare with
Reviews and Ratings
(1608)Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-25 of 38)Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
August 08, 2021
Microsoft SQL Server is a great database solution!
We currently use Microsoft SQL Server as our database application for our applications. We are using the Microsoft SQL Server jobs, Analysis services, cubes, and many other features to help provide front end data solutions to our customers. Our instance of Microsoft SQL Server also allows for multi-database implementation with full backup capabilities. We also pair with the latest management studio to get the best UI experience.
- Easy to use with Visual Studio and ASP projects
- Multiple options for Data Security
- Industry standard and easy to use
- Easy to install and configure
- Licensing can get complicated
- Very very expensive
- combability issues and dependencies with servers etc
- Microsoft support....you know
We use it as our central data warehouse across the entire organization for most of our data needs. We base our MicroStrategy Analytics software off of it, executive reporting off of it, and use it to house several years of transaction and inventory data. It serves as the central source of truth.
- Is reasonably responsive even when thousands of queries are executing at the same time
- Provides an end user experience that allows for intuitive use of structured query language coding
- The database explorer is intuitive and easy to use for SQL neophytes
- This is probably a sys admin setting, but it forces me to reset my password every month
- I've heard the enterprise edition is quite costly
- If we want to do anything substantial with it beyond simple storing and reporting, we often need to hire consultants
June 26, 2021
Great Enterprise Database Platform
Microsoft SQL Server is used by our organization to store data for internal line of business and management systems. It meets these need well, is fairly easy to backup and manage.
- Relational Database Server
- Easy to stand up DB to support OEM Applications
- Backend for Custom Written Application
- COTS DB
- Cost for Enterprise Edition
- Heavy Mgmt Tools
June 19, 2021
SQL Server Review
We use MS SQL Server as our main database to store customer data. We have a monolith web application that is using a single MS SQL Server database. MS SQL is one of the best RDBMS in terms of speed and its really easy to use with a lot of pre-built functions that are really convenient for our application.
- It has quite a lot of pre-built function that helps speed up development time.
- One of the fastest SQL database engines.
- Built for enterprise use with enterprise-level of support available.
- It could be very expensive to utilize MS SQL server to its full potential due to the licensing tier limit.
- It does not have a built-in JSON type column, unlike PostgreSQL, although it has built-in functions to help to work with JSON.
- Require more space to install the database engine compared to other SQL databases.
May 23, 2021
Powerful, Flexible and Scalable.
We use Microsoft SQL Server to provide a platform for our field users to input data for multiple purposes. We store contract data, financial data, time entry data, customer survey data among other data. Microsoft SQL Server gives us a single source of truth for a lot of our reporting. This allows us to have confidence that we are recording and reporting out accurate data.
- Integration. We use PowerBI and Crystal Reports for our reporting and it integrates seamlessly with either.
- Ease of use. Easy to learn and use. (Not the language - but the application)
- Protection. Easy maintenance and backup options.
- Licensing. Can be sometimes confusing layers and expensive.
- Efficiency. Can be memory intensive on larger tables.
- Server maintenance can be intensive as well.
Microsoft SQL Server is our organization's main Database Management System and is the primary back-end server for most of our critical business applications. It's a general requirement that any new application we implement has to operate on SQL Server, if it requires a database back-end. We have a great dependency upon SQL Server and it has not disappointed us.
- Easy to use to set up databases
- Reliable clustered instances
- Maintenance plan wizards
- Good UI with Management Studio
- Good BI tools out of the box with SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS
- It could use more/better templates in SQL Server Profiler
- Lacks error avoidance tools when working in different environments (DEV/TEST/PROD). That is, preventing some code execution against PROD, for example.
We use Microsoft SQL Server as the DB option for the commercial back-office modules of our MLFF (Multi-Lane - Free Flow) Tolling solution. All the commercial back-office (from Customer registration to involvement and payment handling) relies on Microsoft SQL Server databases. Other vital components of the entire solution, like Security and Vehicle Management, and the Reporting environment also utilize Microsoft SQL Server.
- Microsoft SQL Server is simple to install and configure.
- Many advanced options like Compression and Partitioning are available with no extra cost, thus reducing the overall TCO.
- Partitioning does not provide as many options as Oracle (like Foreign Key partitioning, list partitions, hash partitioning and sub partitions)
- The default READ COMMITED isolation level block readers, so it is important to use the READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT option, that should be default right now...
May 05, 2021
Microsoft SQL Server
Our business's in house desktop and web applications run off a SQL Server database. We have used it (and abused it) for 12 or so years now. I don't personally have experience with other databases (a little MySQL) but so far I haven't come across a scenario where SQL Server has been lacking, and that is coming from someone who advocates putting the business logic in SP's (OK, let's not start down that path...).
- Stored procedures, efficient and so much easier to update business logic when under pressure!
- High availability always on groups (since 2012), is pretty easy to set up and just works - has been an absolute savior on 2 server failures.
- Fairly straightforward to administer out the box as it were (but this can be enhanced see below).
- So widely used that someone somewhere has probably faced the same challenges that you have so [to] find a guide, solution, suggested path is relatively easy (not strictly a SQL server thing but makes a massive difference knowing that you have access to huge resource with a well supported well adopted piece of software).
- Very well supported in terms of third party software to enhance administration (backups, performance, etc.).
- Enterprise is unbelievably expensive.
- Not tolerant of bad practices and poor query writing, really shows up when you do it badly!
- Deep insight into what is happening with query performance is not especially great (but as mentioned in the "Pros", software support from third parties does cover this).
May 01, 2021
Microsoft SQL Server Review
We are using Microsoft SQL Server Express edition for teaching RDBMS to the students its really a nice tool to use. In personal I have also used the developer edition for application development. The best part of this software is it is robust. You can use it for both [...] website application[s] or [...] web application development. This database tool support[s] Microsoft visual studio so if you are using that IDE for development this is one of the most compatible and reliable [databases] software. Very efficiently handle the CRUD operations.
- Easy to use is of course the foremost reason [for] its extensive use in almost every industry
- Less expensive than Oracle tools
- Multiple user support in [a] single set up
- Excellent user support and documentation
- Visualization is not available for that you have to use [the] different tool this is one of the feature[s] I think they should include
- In MS Access you can design the query but here you have to write it in SQL
- Enterprises edition is really expensive
April 12, 2021
Microsoft SQL Server is an industry standard
SQL Server is used company-wide: All of our business data is stored in SQL databases and all of our applications utilize SQL in some capacity.
- Scales well
- Widespread usage means resources are more readily available.
- Reliable when configured and maintained properly.
- *Very* complex
- Performance can be poor when configuration isn't tweaked just right.
- System resource intensive, and some resources are capped by licensing.
- Upgrading to newer versions is difficult and time-consuming.
Our company uses MS SQL Server to run jobs, store data and generates reports. Our team is supporting two separate companies and both use MS SQL Server. One is for storing data and running SSIS jobs for app and reporting purposes. These are company-owned servers and we are hosting other companies to provide service, application and hardware support for them.
Our company maintains these servers and they are being used by different departments, also internal company-wide. Business problems that we commonly encountered are mostly connection issues. These are basically a between network, database and applications connecting to MS SQL Server. The MS SQL Server support is easy to get in touch with when we are having issues with the application itself.
Our company maintains these servers and they are being used by different departments, also internal company-wide. Business problems that we commonly encountered are mostly connection issues. These are basically a between network, database and applications connecting to MS SQL Server. The MS SQL Server support is easy to get in touch with when we are having issues with the application itself.
- Maintenance, SQL server is easy to maintain.
- User Friendly, Easy to use and understand.
- Access, user access, and administration are very straightforward.
- Application, it is easy to setup and provide service.
- Can be used in small and enterprise sized clients.
- Support cost, need to pay for support.
- Compatibility with other new technologies.
- Reporting capabilities.
- Licensing, it is a lot of work to get licenses renewal
September 17, 2020
Excellent tool for enterprise data management
My department uses SQL Server (and Azure Data Studio, increasingly, but still primarily SQL Server) for database management and analysis. Other departments use it as well, including our QA team, to verify the expected output of data manipulation or the functionality of changes to the code base. It's a pretty standard tool at this point.
- Query analysis and execution plan details - You can see indexes you may be missing that would (if used) possibly improve performance of your stored procedures and queries.
- Data storage - It's easy to restore and back up entire databases and to set up automatic jobs to do this.
- Scheduled tasks - You can plan health checks or updates to data, or reports, from the Jobs tool.
- Unlike Visual Studio, there isn't a built-in or out-of-the-box way to format your SQL scripts/queries. You can easily install plugins and extensions to do this (paid or free) but it would be a nice-to-have.
- Occasionally it's not obvious from a query execution plan what piece is causing the most bottleneck, and even then, side-effects of implementing the suggested index(es) aren't always obvious.
March 02, 2020
Microsoft SQL from a happy database user
I consult for system and data integration projects. Many of my customers use SQL as their data management and storage system. During integration projects, I will also use SQL to store information that I need later in the integration process or for reporting purposes or auditing.
- Storing data in a de facto standard relational database.
- Industry proven connectors to the data.
- Options for hosted (Azure) to on-premise.
- Options for scalability from SQL Express to SQL clustering.
- Developers have their change list, however, it does what I need.
February 22, 2020
SQL Server -- Enterprise Data and Analytics in a Box
SQL Server is our go-to database for both on-prem and cloud database needs. We are running on-prem for 3rd party, custom applications, and the enterprise data warehouse. The Cloud is great for custom applications, as well as beginning to migrate to a data lake structure with Azure SQL DW. Other than embedded databases in a few apps, it is the only RDBMS technology we leverage, although we do run several different versions and editions (Azure SQL DB, Azure SQL DW, SQL Server 2016, 2017).
- It's easier to manage than other RDBMS.
- Good, mature, in-the-box interface for both development and administration.
- It has a fully extending feature set for managing Azure SQL DB to SSMS and/or Azure Data Studio.
- It's simplifying security/access setup for Azure SQL DB.
January 20, 2020
Easy to use and set up, robust and reliable DBMS
In our database department, we use Microsoft SQL Server for storing data, data aggregation, and manipulation. We use Reporting services tools for creating, managing and deploying reports for our clients. For creating a report definition I personally used Report Builder which makes defining data source connections, queries used to retrieve data, expressions, parameters and others extremely easy to perform. We also try to improve the performance of stored procedures, user-defined functions, and triggers by learning the execution plan in detail. One of our clients has a web app for an insurance company and they have a large amount of data stored in the Microsoft SQL Server database. Our goal is to improve performance from queries that are used in that web app, so we try controlling execution plans with hints or adding indexes. In cases when we meet a new client who already has some database storage then we use replication technology for copying and distributing data and objects from one database to another. Besides that, we also help our clients to build parameterized queries in order to defend from SQL injection which is one of the most common web hacking techniques.
- It offers a lot of functionalities, such as Reporting Services, Integration Services, Job Scheduler, Resource Manager, Query Analyzer and Profiler, etc.
- You can connect it to Active Directory if you so desire.
- The price of the enterprise version could be a little lower and also licensing should be more understandable.
- There can be problems when connecting with software that is not owned by Microsoft.
December 06, 2019
Hardcore Database For Hardcore Analytics
We are a Business Intelligence shop utilizing the entire Microsoft Data Stack. We use SQL Server versions 2012, 2014, 2017. We are also currently evaluating 2019. Our entire organization also uses SQL Server. In our department, it is used to ETL data in (via SSIS), store it into a Kimball Data Warehouse, do reporting off of it via SSRS, and then provide self serve analytics to our business users via SSAS. The best thing is that SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS are all included with SQL Server!
- Great integration tools via SSIS.
- Great reporting tools via SSRS.
- Great analytics tools via SSAS.
- Latest versions (2019) really push the envelope forward on automatic query optimization.
- Need to be careful on licensing and features. While they have done a great job in 2019 to make features available in standard edition, a lot of use cases may require the more expensive enterprise edition.
- SSIS and SSAS doesn't play well with source control.
- There is no "Data Virtualization" (Not talking about PolyBase) You should be able to spin up a clone of a database with minimal effort and storage space. No reason to have to pay a secondary company for such a vital feature!
October 17, 2019
Industry standard for databases
Microsoft SQL Server primarily serves as the back end of our core business system, which is built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV on the front end. Essentially everything our business does goes through this system, making access to the data crucial. While SQL Server is a required component of NAV, the system still needs to perform and be reliable all of the time. Luckily SQL Server is widely supported and time tested, allowing us to choose it with confidence.
- Support: Microsoft support and documentation make usage and maintenance worry-free.
- Performance: developers and admins have the ability to tune performance to meet their application needs.
- Prevalence: being an industry standard, compatibility and support are widespread.
- Learning curve: while SQL databases share many of the same concepts, admins and developers need to be familiar with the interface and quirks specific to SQL Server and the Management Studio.
- Cost: as with most enterprise software, especially from Microsoft, the investment needs to be considered.
- Required resources: both system resources and other considerations for maintenance and in-house support may be heavy compared to other solutions.
September 23, 2019
This is basic and has most of the required tools in Data Analytics
In my company we use it project/account wise, Our main purpose to use it is because it has a very easy user interface and lots of internet communities for providing the solution.
- We used to merge the data from different sources. For this, it is very to do in SQL Server.
- Main times we used it to clean the data by reducing the unwanted rows and removing the delimited values.
- Creation of stored procedures are pretty much simple in it, and these created procedures are very handy and simple to create because syntax is very easy in it.
- There are no data visualization options available in it. For that, we need to connect it with different tools.
- No inbuilt statistical modules/formulas. We need to make our own.
- If data is more than 100 Columns and rows then it will definitely crash on its own.
September 12, 2019
Best DBMS solution for professionals as well as beginners
Microsoft SQL Server is being used as the default database management solution. It is used across the whole organization and is responsible for managing different types of databases such as ERP, Spatial and regular ones. SQL server caters to regular reports generation, establish relational queries between different datasets, provide backup in case of any issues.
- Microsoft SQL Server has a very user-friendly interface. It is a breeze to create and schedule jobs for data reporting and updates.
- The online community support and the numerous forums for Microsoft SQL Server are really handy in case of any issues.
- Microsoft SQL Server supports Spatial Databases which is a critical requirement for an organization like ours.
- It would be great if working with SSIS packages would be much more streamlined in the Microsoft SQL Server. As of now, the only option is to use Visual Studio which in itself is not very forthcoming in how to work with a package.
- The version upgrade can be a bit of nuisance in case you have different databases created on different versions of Microsoft SQL Server. The version compatibility for different databases can definitely be improved upon.
September 10, 2019
Microsoft SQL Server is a Great Enterprise Database Option
Microsoft SQL Server is our primary data storage for our in house software as well as 3rd party financial software and provides the data for all of our enterprise reporting. We also leverage the additional services that come with Microsoft SQL Server including SQL Server Reporting Services and SQL Server Integration Services.
- Extremely Reliable - We have not had an instance of SQL Server itself having issues or causing downtime. We have had AWS hardware failures but not Microsoft SQL Server failures.
- Total Cost of Ownership - Having Enterprise Edition provides us with the additional features of SQL Server Reporting Services, SQL Server Integration Services, and if we would like, SQL Server Analytics Services.
- Multiple disaster recovery options - You can use mirroring (replaced by Always On Availability Groups), replications and log shipping to name a few options.
- Elastic Database options - You can have a mix of on-premises and Azure instances if your use case requires it.
- Easy Manageability - Microsoft has done a great job of making the management of Microsoft SQL Server easier with every release.
- In-Memory Database options - You can have in-memory tables for any business case needing that level of performance.
- While I really like their disaster recovery options, they could make them more affordable and easier to implement. Always On-Availability Groups is improving with every edition but still can come with some gotcha's if you do not watch it. Including Security across instances, jobs across instances, etc.
- In memory, at least in 2014, once you enable it that is it. You cannot go back. This makes it difficult to retire this feature.
- Better native Enterprise management meaning, in a use case where you may have multiple servers or clusters with multiple instances the native tools are lacking and typically require purchasing 3rd party tools or building out tools for monitoring and managing the servers and databases.
January 21, 2019
My opinion on using Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is used as a relational database management tool by our organisation. It's mostly used by every department in our corporation to insert, update, delete, manage data and to provide various encryptions to it.
- SQL Sever supports multiple users in one setup which make it a multiuser system.
- SQL profiler tracks the background queries and helps with the debugging and management of SQL queries
- By analysing estimated and actual test plans, it helps to make queries more optimized
- Issues exist when restoring a database for low screen resolution system. This should be debugged and corrected.
- Doesn't auto backup an unsaved query window. So when SQL server is restarted it [loses] previously unsaved work.
- Hanging issues while booting SQL Server.
September 13, 2017
SQL SERVER PREFERENCE
It is used as a data storage engine and also for providing information to users based on the business user's requirement. It also supports multiple users' requirements. It is also used for reporting services for providing run time reports or summarized reports from OLAP cubes. We also use the various security features and different editions available based on the requirement and budget. I have been working with this product for over 15 years and I am a great admirer of how the product has evolved since 2000.
- In a single package, you get a data base/OLAP/reporting.
- Ease in using the best documentation and books are available for anyone to start working on it and use tons of features.
- Columnstore indexes need to be improved further even after many limitations were removed in SQL 2016.
- Pricing of the SQL Server license should be made more simple to be understand easily.
Microsoft SQL Server is being used by our enterprise proprietary products as a backend database. Our entire organisation across departments widely uses Microsoft SQL Server. Microsoft SQL Server caters the needs of the following aspects. 1. Easy accessibility of data 2. Easy connectivity of data 3. Securing layers of information. 4. Hosting/Supporting/ acting as a backend database to all major applications (internal/ external).
- Strengths of Microsoft SQL Server creating an ease even for a newcomer who just knows basics of the database. Creates an easy adoption for any other database programmer who is working on another platform (Oracle, MySQL etc.) to get migrated over to Microsoft SQL server version with minimal efforts.
- Primarily when the application data to be hosted is very less there is less complexity involved in the creation of databases, securing access to a database table, schema and role wise. Much of the functionality of DML, DDL operations can be achieved through user interface called SQL management studio - best tool for any programmer to senior DBA.
- SQL Server integration services, analysis services, and reporting services which are included in BI pack will definitely help enterprise customers save a lot of revenue spent on the additional BI stack Reporting products like Cognos, Crystal Reports, Informatica etc.
- SQL Server has certain limitations in terms of functionality of SQL management studio. But there are a lot of third party programming tools which are available in the market which is powerful enough to overcome these limitations.
- Database comparison tool - Lack of a tool where you can compare entities of database like tables, views, indexes between 2 databases of the same application (like comparing production to stage sites).
- Version control management system (to maintain different versions of code checked in / checked out). Had to be driven using 3rd party tools.
- SQL replication - coverage for all 3rd party databases has been withdrawn in recent editions which are a limitation especially while migrating from previous SQL server editions. This is a gray area of SQL Server often challenged to due to limitations of integration to 3rd party software's like Oracle, MySQL etc.
- Performance management tools - even though there are built-in reports like "Activity Monitor", they are existing to monitor the performance of SQL Server. It's better to have an individual console to connect to SQL server instead of depending on Windows or other 3rd party tools like APEX SQL console, IDERA tool to monitor SQL server performance.
March 28, 2017
Business level data storage and reporting
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Microsoft SQL server as a base platform for our enterprise resource program. Not only is it the data warehouse but it also serves as the SSRS report server so we can use SQL views and stored procedures to create SSRS reports more effectively based on the user needs. The tools in SQL Server allow for all maintenance to be scheduled, simplifying maintenance.
- Backing up databases both full and differential as well as transaction logs so data recovery is simple.
- Database cleanup and maintenance tools that can be scheduled to keep the database running at optimal performance.
- The performance monitor allows you to track query performance so you can maintain the best user experience and tune the server for optimal usage.
- A better way to remotely connect to the database to maintain and review current transactions is needed.
- SSRS report designer needs better tools to build the reports you need. Too many workarounds due to limitations in SSRS.
- Logs need to be less cryptic and more meaningful at times so that diagnosing problems can be done quicker.
September 06, 2016
SQL Server review
We use it to manage part of our enterprise ETL process.
- Great catalog of online support
- Intuitive interface
- Very useful functions and methods not available on other platforms
- SQL Server Integration Services, in my experience, is very buggy and crashes often. Needs improvement
- I wish it was easier to retrieve current instance settings and configurations without going through much of the installation process again
- Compatibility with Power BI suite is not intuitive and is less than robust