Nearly every business runs some kind of database – it’s a basic, mission-critical application, and its performance, security and availability are essential to the function of the companies that use them. A significant number of those databases run on Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – a stalwart application that’s going end-of-life on April 12.
What’s this mean for users of SQL 2005? Primarily, it means Microsoft will no longer support it with security patches, creating vulnerabilities for those still using it, who should now weigh their options for migrating to another platform.
For those still going to the trouble and expense of running, maintaining and powering their own servers for their SQL deployment, the message is simple: Have a managed hosting provider do the work for you, and save time and money.
A managed hosting provider provides a long list of advantages over standing up your own servers:
- The ideal provider will be able to construct a custom solution for you, incorporating dedicated or cloud-based technology (or a hybrid of the two) to give you the desired scalability.
- Hosting service can be less than half as expensive as in-house servers in most circumstances due to savings on capital expenditures, staff and training.
- Managed hosts take care of hardware refreshes and offer uptime guarantees that in-house solutions can’t. Upgrades with a service provider often take hours, contrasted with days or even weeks for in-house environments.
- Security experts should address many issues that come up – and be available 24/7/365 – as slow responses to breaches can cause exponential increases in what they cost. These employees are expensive for small businesses to employ; with hosting companies, they are part of the package.
- Costly training on new technology also comes with hosting in-house, especially with proprietary systems that new employees are unlikely to have encountered before.
- Many managed hosting providers offer white-glove migration assistance, ensuring that your hosting experience gets off to the right start.
- With a hosting provider, you’ll have access to the most recent versions of SQL, without the need to manage patching yourself.
If you’d like to learn more about making this transition, register for our joint webinar with our partners at Microsoft, “Microsoft SQL 2005 Retirement and Upgrade Options from Hostway.”