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Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server

Overview

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database.

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Learn from top reviewers

Microsoft SQL Server: Perfect Data Manager for an Organization

Rating: 9 out of 10
March 7, 2025
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
Microsoft SQL Server is used in our organization by IT personnel to Store data, fetch data specific to requirements. For instance, in Sales Module SQL server is used to fetch ...
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varun kohli
Professional - Information Technology
Senior Executive
Vardhman textiles ltd.
Microsoft SQL Server19 years of experience
Verified on LinkedIn

Microsoft SQL Server inspiration

Rating: 8 out of 10
November 22, 2024
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
Microsoft SQL Server supports the databases for our primary accounting system (MS Dynamics GP). This avoids us using much less efficient flat files or less compliant software ...
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Verified user
Manager
Microsoft SQL Server15 years of experience

Microsoft SQL is a valuable tool to manage and present information across platforms.

Rating: 7 out of 10
October 10, 2024
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
I work for a company that creates a software suite that allows our customers to manage and track their work, their companies and contacts, user logins, etc. We use an extensiv...
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Verified user
Technician
Microsoft SQL Server18 years of experience

Microsoft SQL Server review

Rating: 10 out of 10
June 28, 2024
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
I primarily use Microsoft SQL Server 2019 and 2022 data engine to run commercial workloads of various customers. A frequent configuration use case is the usage of Microsoft SQ...
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Verified user
Professional
Microsoft SQL Server10 years of experience

Solid and Reliable.

Rating: 10 out of 10
August 28, 2023
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
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 software that we use, namely JAMS Scheduler...
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Verified user
Consultant
Microsoft SQL Server11 years of experience
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Awards

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Pricing

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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
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Product Demos

An Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server's Statistics

YouTube

Introduction to Transact SQL (T-SQL) using Microsoft SQL Server

YouTube
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Product Details

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server Video

Microsoft SQL Server Integrations

Microsoft SQL Server Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database.

Reviewers rate Implementation Rating highest, with a score of 9.

The most common users of Microsoft SQL Server are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews From Top Reviewers

View all reviews
(1-5 of 5)

Solid, affordable and easy to install and use database engine

Rating: 9 out of 10
Incentivized
May 06, 2021
LF
Lisandro Fernigrini
Sr Database Administrator / Developer
Kapsch Trafficcom (Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft SQL Server
13 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
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.
Pros
  • 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.
Cons
  • 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...
Likelihood to Recommend
I've found Microsoft SQL Server a robust and affordable solution for most OLTP scenarios, starting with department solutions up to enterprise-level systems. There are many advanced features (like compression and partitioning) that correctly implemented provide huge benefits on performance, reducing hardware requirements and costs. The default locking mechanism can be a problem for systems with high concurrency if the READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT option is not selected.
Return on Investment
  • Customers know and trust the product, so it is easier to implement our solutions.
  • Licence cost are usually lower than other products if all advanced options are used.
Alternatives Considered
We use both Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server for our entire product line, using the best features of each of them to solve different business requirements and technical challenges. Microsoft SQL Server is simpler to install and use, but lacks some advanced features and has fewer configuration options than Oracle, so we use each of them based on each module requirements.
Support Rating
7
We have not used official support to solve any particular problem, we have used different community resources (like forums) to obtain additional information on specific issues or doubts that did not require escalation to Microsoft support.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
100
About 70% of our Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) tolling software, including all of the commercial back offices, is designed on the Microsoft SQL Server database engine. Software Architects and Developers design and create the data model and develop data processing procedures (like invoicing, notifications) while testers use SQL Server to validate the features of our system.
Support Headcount Required
3
Since we do not host real production data, we try to keep our environments as simple as possible. We have source code repositories where all data model and stored code (views, procedures, functions, etc.) are kept. We keep a simple backup policy to be able to recover for accidental data loss on testing and customer acceptance environments.
Business Processes Supported
  • It is a central piece of software in our MLFF product.
Innovative Uses
  • Besides using Microsoft SQL Server for our product, many support tasks (like customers legacy systems migration mapping information) are stored on Microsoft SQL Server databases.
Likelihood to Renew
9
We understand that the Microsoft SQL Server will continue to advance, offering the same robust and reliable platform while adding new features that enable us, as a software center, to create a superior product. That provides excellent performance while reducing the hardware requirements and the total cost of ownership of our solution.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Prior Experience with the Product
We chose Microsoft SQL Server as a good cost/feature product, that provides a robust backbone to our Multi-Lane Free Flow software product. The ability to use features like compression and partitioning with no extra cost made Microsoft SQL Server a good choice.
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
No
Change Management Lessons
Change management was minimal
As a software center we have been using SQL Server for many years, so there were no actual issues implementing the latest versions of the product.
Implementation Rating
9
Nothing special to mention
Easy Tasks
  • SQL dialect is simple to use and usually very easy to understand
  • Installation is really simple
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
8
Having a strong background on Oracle Databases, Microsoft SQL Server is pretty simple to use. There are fewer options and some behaviour (like writers blocking readers) require an adaptation, but overall Microsoft SQL Server is an excellent product that has been adding features in the last 15 years, making it a database engine easy to use but powerful at the same time.

SQL Server from a mid-level DBA perspective

Rating: 10 out of 10
Incentivized
February 23, 2016
BS
Bill Starling
Database Administrator
Aderant (Computer Software, 201-500 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft SQL Server
3 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
SQL Server is used throughout the organization in differing capacities. Research and Development uses it to develop new software and to fix previously coded bugs or issues. Our software communicates with a SQL server database that has almost 1000 tables with varying relationships and data amount. Support uses SQL to log customer/client issues and to see what clients have downloaded what products and who the contacts are that are viewing our released software from the Salesforce website which communicates with a local SQL database we have on site. Our Professional services team will configure databases in SQL server at client sites to help set up a new client or to solve issues that the client is encountering.
Pros
  • Handle large amounts of data. SQL can process thousands of rows of data in a pinch when given the correct hardware to utilize. SQL likes memory and it will utilize it very efficiently when given the chance.
  • SQL provides at least 2 methods to do everything. You can write simple SQL query scripts or you can use the built-in GUI (which coincidentally just runs SQL scripts behind the scenes).
  • Allows for jobs to be setup that can do simple tasks such as database backups, database restores, export and import data and even send out notifications when SQL Server encounters a problem.
  • Integrates with a lot of other programs and software. Microsoft allows SQL Server to integrate with Visual Studio and you can utilize SQL tools with SSIS, SSMS, SSAS, and SSRS to get deep into integration tools, Analyzing data, and reporting on various data in each database. You can also integrate with third party tools such as the suite of products from RedGate.
Cons
  • Speed up installation times. A manual installation of SQL server can take up a good chunk of time. You can be forced to go through an installation wizard screen by screen and it can take a lot of time waiting for each screen to load.
  • Allow for easier integration with GUI's. SQL has the capability to use a visual query builder where you can drag and drop fields, tables, etc to build a query but it is not as user friendly as you would imagine.
  • Make the permissions more stream lined. Users can have permissions to a SQL Server but not a particular database and trying to find the right spot to add the correct permissions can be painful for someone who is new to SQL Admin work.
Likelihood to Recommend
The larger the database and project the more efficient it will be if kept running smoothly. Small projects/businesses will find SQL Server useful also but for the cost of licenses it may not be as cost effective as some would like. Also if your business depends on the data in the database or server you will want a full time DBA to watch over the Server (both the hardware and software of the server) to insure you don't have any data integrity or security issues.
Return on Investment
  • Allowed my company to expand the services we offer and the speed at which our software runs due to the efficiency that SQL has.
  • Negatively, it is hard to find SQL experts or seasoned veterans who can handle the data load and enterprise level functionality we have implemented.
Alternatives Considered
I have used Microsoft Access, MySQL, and I have been a user of systems that run on Oracle database servers. All but Oracle are really intended for smaller scale projects and teams as they start to get slow or the performance will suffer once you start getting lots of data input and output into them. They are good for single user or single entry applications that can be maintained by almost anyone who understands databases. Oracle is a real competitor for SQL Server as it can handle large and small scale applications and data loads. It is competitively priced to SQL Server but I have heard it can be a bit tricky to work through in the back end. Since I only used applications that had Oracle databases on the back end I can only attest to the fact that the front end applications always worked just fine.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
150
Research and Development, Support, Professional Services, Sales, Marketing. Each department utilizes SQL for different reasons but they all boil down to it is what our software runs on and it has been developed to integrate seamlessly with SQL Server and to run as efficiently as possible. We our a Microsoft gold partner and pride ourselves on utilizing Microsoft products to the fullest extent.
Support Headcount Required
3
Our Tallahassee office currently has 3 people to service/support our SQL servers. We have a senior SQL DBA who has been with us for over 20 years, we have a mid level DBA who also is responsible for other Microsoft products such as Team Foundation Server and Hyper-V and we have a systems Administrator who is responsible for the hardware and any issues that arise with such.
Business Processes Supported
  • Development of new technology is the main focus of our company.
  • Troubleshooting and debugging previously released code and databases.
  • Configuring new servers and maintaining current SQL servers either individually or as a cluster.
Innovative Uses
  • We have utilized SQL to have a client that has 2 offices on opposite sides of the planet utilize one central SQL database at the same time with no issues or hesitations.
Future Planned Uses
  • We can utilize the integration Microsoft allows to utilize tools outside of SQL to making reporting, error reporting, troubleshooting and data integrity easier, and more effective.
  • We could utilize the new technologies being released in the new versions of SQL to allow us to process data faster and more efficiently in order to have faster processing times in our applications.
Likelihood to Renew
10
We are a Microsoft Gold partner and are very in depth with our SQL server development with out software and it would take too many resources to try and switch to another database product, not to mention all of our clients run SQL Server so we would then have to support SQL and another product which is fiscally irresponsible.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
  • Existing Relationship with the Vendor
We are and have been a Microsoft Gold partner and thus utilize most of Microsoft's products. Since we have that established relationship it made sense to continue with other products as Microsoft is known for the product integration which allows extras features and tools to be used which can then be passed down to our clients in the form of special features and benefits.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
The evaluation and selection process wouldn't change. SQL did everything we did and it gave us room to grow. Training was provided and support is always accessible. Being an industry leader SQL Server is easy to maintain and troubleshoot. Finding certified and qualified individuals to service SQL is very easy as it is taught by most schools and training centers.
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
No
Change Management Lessons
Change management was a small part of the implementation and was well-handled
We have been using SQL Server since it's inception and thus change management was almost non-existent. We did have some applications running on other database software previously but with Microsoft putting a big emphasis on product integration and consistency it was easy to change over to SQL server. Each version has kept the base navigation and has just introduced new features allowing for a more robust experience.
Implementation Issues
  • It can be time consuming.
  • If you change SQL's default values it can get tricky if you don't update those names or values in every SQL instance.
Implementation Rating
9
Other than SQL taking quite a bit of time to actually install there are no problems with installation. Even on hardware that has good performance SQL can still take close to an hour to install a typical server with management and reporting services.
Support Rating
8
Nothing is perfect but Microsoft does fairly well even though they're such a large corporation. SQL server has a large user base and there are a lot of support tools you can find without even calling Microsoft. The internet has a plethora of knowledge and help and Microsoft has also done a great job of making articles on their MSDN website that explain and layout a lot of different things with SQL. With that comes the fact that you still have to go to the internet or on the phone to get help sometimes.
Exceptional Examples of Microsoft SQL Server Support
I've never personally had to call Microsoft for SQL Server support. I have heard from coworkers that it has been fairly easy to get through to Microsoft Support and that their questions were answered. They were kept up to date on their cases and in all cases a resolution was provided or was at least documented with a reasonable work around solution.
Easy Tasks
  • Writing and executing SQL queries is fairly simple. Just open up SQL Management studio and you can find a table you want and select rows from it using the drop down GUI when right clicking it or you can write SQL scripts into the query editor.
  • Connecting to new database servers is as easy as typing the name (assuming you have permissions to connect to said server).
  • Installation is easy but time consuming. Following the installation wizard allows you to get SQL installed and running in no time.
Difficult Tasks
  • Understanding the errors one might receive when you have incorrect permissions on a server or database.
  • Setting up permissions can be difficult to grasp since there are permission levels for each server and database.
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
8
I give it an 8 because it can be hard to start using without knowing some sort of SQL already. Having an understanding of relational databases and SQL queries would be a huge bonus for someone just starting out. But other than that it is great and there are always multiple methods to get to a result. Some people use a GUI and some just write SQL code to accomplish the same feat.

The giant RDBMS by Microsoft

Rating: 10 out of 10
Incentivized
February 23, 2016
LC
Luca Campanelli
Database Administrator
Intralot Italia S.p.A. (Gambling & Casinos, 51-200 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft SQL Server
7 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I use SQL Server for 7 years.
I currently work in the Database Administrators department, we mainly use SQL every day. We use SQL for various needs, some examples: the management of corporate databases, for ETL processes (extract, transform, load) for data warehousing, data historicizing, reporting, OLAP cubes, dashboards, maintenance plans, monitoring and alert, the management of integration services packages and more.
Pros
  • Management of very large volumes of data such as bulk loading
  • Is one of the best (if not the best) relational database
  • It brings you great ETL tools and data warehousing such as SSIS and SSAS
  • Data indexing
Cons
  • The management of VLDB (Very Large Databases) requires a lot of maintenance and preventive work to avoid falling into uncomfortable issues.
  • The introduction of In-Memory (sql 2014) has opened up new prospects but still has many limitations (data types, functions and various restrictions)
  • Table partitioning is as useful as awkward to handle.
Likelihood to Recommend
SQL Server is suitable for any company, anyone who has the need to keep and maintain sensitive data, can safely rely on SQL (available in different versions depending on your budget and needs).
Is less appropriate, however, if you want to handle a small amount of data, or if you use want to cache data (for sites) or data that don't need to be static and maintained for a long time, in these cases you can take into account of commonly said DB No-Sql.
Return on Investment
  • Data always accessible and available
  • data history and previous analyzes (even many years back)
  • development and maintenance of the data warehouse directly in-house
Alternatives Considered
I started working with databases many years ago with Access, which allows you to create relational database and provide an old-fashioned desktop interface. I had a look at Oracle but I never had the opportunity to get to the bottom (also because of the budget that had the company where I worked at the time). SQL is an enterprise solution that allows professional management of DBs and DWHs in maximum safety and allows it to be applied in countless situations.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
50
It is not easy to determine how many resources actually uses sql server, this because the use of sql server is of various kinds, from those who simply makes queries via the sql management studio, who uses the various business reports or dashboards, users of the sites, up to our DBAs department that directly manages the databases and data warehouses.
Support Headcount Required
4
To use SQL Server are required detailed knowledge of relational databases, data warehousing concepts, notions and management of ETL (if you intend to use a corporate data warehouse), maintenance of databases, data management, data quality, high reliability of the data, indexing, queries optimization, management of a large amount of data and more.
Business Processes Supported
  • Data management
  • Reporting and Dashboard
  • ETL
  • High Availability
  • Datawarehouse
Innovative Uses
  • transactions management
  • Datawarehousing
  • OLAP
Future Planned Uses
  • IN-memory OLTP
Likelihood to Renew
10
I think it is unlikely that sql server has disappointed someone, it is likely that someone will come initially discouraged if the needs and problems that occur are very challenging, but definitely have a SQL oriented system means having a solid base to work and on which maintain the their data securely.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Prior Experience with the Product
  • Analyst Reports
I personally have not taken the decision to use SQL Server, but the reason why I specialized in SQL systems is because I think it definitely one of the best RDBMS in circulation, the support is great as well as his strength and for his great effectiveness, is chosen to secure by many companies to these factors and results.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
If I had to choose whether to use an RDBMS the first question that I would do it if I really need a SQL db oriented or if I could draw benefit from a no-sql db, if my need is to have an RDBMS, the only choice that I should make is between Oracle and SQL, due to my experience in SQL would repeat this choice, if I'll have the opportunity to deepen Oracle will also evaluate this hypothesis (prices permitting) .
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
No
Change Management Lessons
Change management was minimal
Has no organizational change management needed.
However, if you are thinking of definitely migrate your data structure on sql server, you have to do several observations , you need to plan in detail every single operation, each database step by step and evaluate all the compatibility between your structure and the version of SQL on which you will migrate. This definitely requires a lot of time and tests.
Implementation Issues
  • No issues
Implementation Rating
10
As mentioned before, the implementation of SQL Server in a company that is beginning to use a new structure, which does not require any type of data migration, do not requires particular comment to make.
If you must to do a porting of databases from a different platform, definitely you need to consider the situation in detail depending on your needs.
Premium Support
No
Fortunately we do not need premium or paid support because, fortunately for us, our team is well mixed and every time there is a problem to solve, we trying to reach a solution as soon as possible in the most constructive way possible by sharing the experiences and our know-how.
Support Rating
9
In my previous work experience I happened to have asked for assistance to the Microsoft support, they are very professional and the service is immediate, if necessary they can intervene remotely or onsite.
Alternatively you can of course refer to the microsoft guides, the forums and of course the now famous msdn.
Bug Resolution
No
Exceptional Examples of Microsoft SQL Server Support
As I said before, fortunately it has never been necessary to seek assistance from Microsoft support regarding SQL Server, many of the answers you seek are on the MSDN Microsoft, alternatively you can open a ticket with microsoft and in the short term you will have solution to your problem .
Very useful are the Unleashed books (in your sql version) that have all the basics you need to manage sql servers.
Easy Tasks
  • Always-On
  • Availability Groups
  • Jobs with SSIS packages integration
Difficult Tasks
  • Managing VLDB
  • Table Partitioning
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
8
Once you have gained adequate experience to manage autonomously SQL Server sql server usability it is excellent, the fact remains that the SQL Server platform has a variety of very wide use, are so many variables to consider in a sql oriented system. Usability (mean maintainability) becomes more complicated if it is larger the amount of data to manage (with large I mean some TBs for each databases)

MS SQL server

Rating: 9 out of 10
Incentivized
February 16, 2016
SS
Srikanth S
Sr MS SQL BI Developer
Georgia-Pacific LLC (Consumer Goods, 1001-5000 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft SQL Server
7 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
It is used across the whole organization to build analytical tools for the business users to best analyze the sales data.
Pros
  • Sql Server Integration services is a a great tool for ETL needs
  • SQL Server Analysis Services is a great tool to build data marts and data cubes.
  • SQL Server Reporting Services is a great reporting tool.
Cons
  • SQL server installation always takes long time, that can be definitely improved.
  • The Management Studio front end still needs work as does Indexing.
  • Few in SSIS Realtime data refresh in SSRS More datasources in Power BI
Likelihood to Recommend
Volume of the data, it cannot store as much data as Oracle or Teradata does.
Return on Investment
  • It is definitely one of the best tools available for all the database needs
  • It is easier to install and easy to get on with.
  • Consistent and reliable.
Alternatives Considered
MS SQL server is the best database management tool available and it has been improving every year addressing the needs for ever growing data.
Other Software Used
Redgate SQL Monitor, Java Reporting Engine
Users and Roles
50
Sales
Support Headcount Required
15
Tsql, Admininstration Skills,SSIS,SSRS,SSAS
Business Processes Supported
  • DataWarehouse
  • Data Analytics
  • Data Reports
Innovative Uses
  • C# and VB.net coding and scheduling them
  • Web Service calls
  • DataBase transfer
Future Planned Uses
  • Make use of cloud technology with SQl Server 2016
  • DataStorage space is increased a lot because of sql server 2016
Likelihood to Renew
10
It is a great product answering all Data needs.
Products Replaced
Yes
MS Access... MS Access wouldn't support huge volumes of data like Sql Server does.
Key Differentiators
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
  • Prior Experience with the Product
  • Vendor Reputation
Product Usability
Evaluation Lessons Learned
Not many changes
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
Yes
SSMS,SSIS,SSAS
Implementation Issues
  • Server compatability issues
Implementation Rating
10
Check your hardware before installing SQL Server like hard disk space.
Training Types Used
  • Online training
  • In-person training
  • Self-taught
In-Person Training
9
It was good
Online Training
9
very hands on and detailed training
Ease of Microsoft SQL Server Training
Yes, easy to pick up
Product Configurability
10
Its is very good
Configuration Lessons
Hardware requirements have to be met, make sure RAM is available
UI Customization
No - there is no facility to customize the interface
Extensibility and Customization
Some - we have added small pieces of custom code
we can use VB.net code or C# code and its easy to implement.
Additional Customization Considerations
Use add on tools like red gate
Premium Support
No
It is not my decision.
Support Rating
9
I had prompt responses and forums to look into from time to time.
Bug Resolution
No
Exceptional Examples of Microsoft SQL Server Support
The issue was with MDS and MS support helped with excel plugins.
Easy Tasks
  • SQL Server Management studio is easy to understand
  • SQL server reports are easy to build
  • Running queries and retrieving data and moving it to excel is easy
Difficult Tasks
  • Analysis services may be complex to start with
  • Integration Services to an extent
  • MDX queries
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
Yes, but I don't use it
Usability
10
Ease of use and over all functionality
Scalability
9
SQL server does handle growing demands of a mid sized company.
Reliability and Availability
10
Its does not have outages.
Performance
9
SSAS data cubes may some time slow down your Excel reports.
Systems Integrated With
  • MS Excel
  • SharePoint
  • Cognos
Its is easy to implement
Future Integration Plans
  • Hadoop
no
Types of Integration
  • File import/export
  • API (e.g. SOAP or REST)
  • Javascript widgets
  • ETL tools
Cognos reporting tools
Ease of Integration
9
It is easy to integrate
Integration Lessons Learned
Check the compatability
Pre-Sale Experience
9
Easy to work with and knowledgeable
Post-Sale Experience
9
Support is available most of the times
Key Negotiation Points
Installation ,support
Dealing with Microsoft
little bit of patience needed while dealing with support teams
Upgrade Process
Yes
Integration services may take a little longer
Upgrade Benefits
  • Query execution times
  • New functionality available
  • Data Storage space
Anticipated Benefits from Future Upgrades
  • Cloud technology
  • Improved Reporting services interface
  • New additions to analysis services
Migrating Between Editions
Yes
All the features are not available in free editions
Future Edition Upgrade Plans
Yes
Advanced features in enterprise editions.

Happy SQL Server user since version 1.11 on OS/2 1.21

Rating: 10 out of 10
Incentivized
February 27, 2016
Verified User
Professional in Information Technology
Computer Software Company, 1-10 employees
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft SQL Server
25 years of experience
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
SQL Server is being used across the entire organization in my previous company, along with Oracle. It's being used for our POS system, our website, and dozens of internal applications. It's very easy to install and configure so we can rapidly deploy it for new applications. It can also be considerably cheaper than Oracle.
Pros
  • It's very easy to automate the install so we have a website set up where an application team can go and within a few mouse clicks, they've requested a new VM with SQL Server installed on it. The VM itself can take a day or two to deployment because it's not fully automated yet, but SQL Server is automatically installed within an hour or two.
  • All the different wizards within SQL Server Management Studio make it relatively easy for non DBAs to perform many tasks, thus making self-service possible in many instances.
  • The Always On Availability Group feature makes both High Availability and Disaster Recovery much easier to plan and implement, especially with SQL Server 2014's multiple secondaries.
  • The Database Tuning Advisor can also help relative novices tune their queries for better performance, though it can still recommend way too many indexes be created.
Cons
  • SQL Server needs something to compare/compete with Oracle's RAC. When is that coming, Microsoft?
  • I don't care for the evolution of its pricing model. SQL Server used to be a no-brainer when compared to other products on price but that's not the case anymore.
Likelihood to Recommend
I wouldn't move to SQL Server just because management or reviewers said to. I would go with the expertise you have in house. If you have a bunch of Oracle experts and no SQL Server experts, I'd go with Oracle. However, if you've got even one SQL Server expert, you should know that one SQL Server expert can probably handle a lot more SQL Servers than a single Oracle expert can.
Return on Investment
  • We can implement projects on SQL Server much faster than we can on any other platform. That's partly due to how quickly we can deploy it but also how easy it is to administer.
  • We can also administer far more SQL Servers per DBA than any other database platform we have in house. Oracle tends to be particularly hands-on in our environment.
Alternatives Considered
We select databases based on what vendor applications support, our in-house expertise, and price. SQL Server tends to win all of those comparisons.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
We use SQL Server for many, many different business functions at our company from POS to store design, to our website, to SharePoint, to market research, to recipe development, to the lawyers...
Support Headcount Required
6
You need to be detail oriented for production support and for the rollouts of new functionality from development to production but you also need to be interested in learning new things if you're going to be able to keep up with the changes and explain them to application teams, i.e. where new functionality is applicable to the work they're performing.
Business Processes Supported
  • We run our POS system on SQL Server.
  • We run our website on SQL Server.
  • We run our SharePoint instances on SQL Server.
Future Planned Uses
  • We plan to use in-memory tables to speed up our website soon.
Likelihood to Renew
10
We're constantly rolling out new applications on this platform.
Products Replaced
Not Sure
Key Differentiators
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
  • Prior Experience with the Product
  • Existing Relationship with the Vendor
The SQL Server DBA team is very familiar with SQL Server so we have a lot of in-house experience with it. The Oracle DBA team has lots of experience with Oracle. So a lot of it is down to price, what the application teams are familiar with, and what the vendor application was developed on.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
I wouldn't change anything.
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
Yes
We have test, dev, cert, and prod environments, at least, and we prove things out before moving along to the next stage.
Change Management Lessons
Change management was a big part of the implementation and was well-handled
Implementation Issues
  • Getting the various machines talking to each other because of the way the network has been partitioned and firewalled.
  • Network performance has also caused problems.
Implementation Rating
10
Make sure that all teams are fully represented in project meetings and planning. You'll need full involvement from networking, Windows, security, application teams, architects, and DBAs.
Premium Support
Yes
A problem with SQL Server can have a huge monetary impact to the company so problems need to be resolved very quickly.
Support Rating
7
We've had problems with support bouncing the incident around between groups or engineers and having to repeat information that was already presented.
Bug Resolution
Yes
no, it was marked as won't fix
Easy Tasks
  • Setting up AlwaysOn Availability groups is easy once the Windows Shared-nothing cluster is set up and working.
  • Using the Database Tuning Advisor is remarkably easy, even if interpreting the results properly requires a lot of knowledge.
  • Installing and configured MDW is quite easy, even if making use of the information it captures can require a lot of knowledge.
Difficult Tasks
  • Configuring Merge Replication and keeping it working can be a handful.
  • Troubleshooting performance issues can be a real handful. It does require a lot of knowledge.
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
10
It was the first to introduce features to make it easier for non-experts to get things done and it continues to lead the pack.
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