This post was authored by the Windows Server and SQL Server Product Teams.
Today we are announcing the availability of Windows Server Premium Assurance and SQL Server Premium Assurance. With Windows Server Premium Assurance and SQL Server Premium Assurance, you receive critical and important security updates and bulletins for an additional six years after the end of Extended Support. This means you can get up to 16 years of total support, an extension from the usual five years each of Mainstream and Extended support.
These new offerings are designed to provide flexibility by enabling legacy applications to continue running without disruption as you modernize applications and infrastructure, or move to cloud. Some of the key benefits include:
- Sustain critical and legacy applications for six additional years
- Stay compliant with regulatory requirements
- Maintain security on systems that may not be ready to update
Premium Assurance is available for both Windows Server and SQL Server, which helps you sustain key scenarios that might require older versions of Windows Server and SQL Server. For example:
- A legacy ERP system that is heavily integrated with other systems
- Critical applications that cannot support the down time required for updates
- Custom applications that might be working fine and would be expensive to rearchitect
- Industry-specific applications not yet offered as cloud-based solutions
Purchase now and lock in savings
The sooner you buy Windows Server Premium Assurance or SQL Server Premium Assurance, the more you will save. Buying through June of this year will save you up to 60 percent, as price of the offering will increase over time. Since your initial purchase price remains consistent over time and renewal periods, you are locking in those savings for the future.
To support a specific product version, you must purchase the Windows Server Premium Assurance or SQL Server Premium Assurance offering before that version goes out of support. For example, to support Windows Server 2008 product versions, you have through December 2019 to purchase Premium Assurance. To support SQL Server 2008 version, you have through June 2019 to purchase this offering.
You can purchase at any time; there is no need to wait until renewal. After your initial purchase, you have the option to add licenses for the Premium Assurance offerings at any time. If your needs change, you can also reduce licenses or drop them altogether at the time of your Software Assurance renewal.
Windows Server Premium Assurance and SQL Server Premium Assurance are purchased as add-ons to Software Assurance on that product. You must purchase the Premium Assurance add-on for all servers with active Software Assurance. We have priced the add-ons with the full coverage in mind, making it easier for you not to have to keep track of which servers are running which versions, and providing you the flexibility to adjust to changes in the future.
Software Assurance is still the best way to protect your investments
Software Assurance provides you with several different notable benefits to help you maintain the value of your investments in Windows Server and SQL Server, including:
- The rights to the latest versions of Windows Server and SQL Server, with the latest innovations built in, so that you can build more agile, intelligent, and secure applications.
- The ability to move applications to Azure, taking advantage of speed, scale, and economics of cloud computing. Save up to 50% when running Windows Server in Azure with the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit. License Mobility provides the flexibility to deploy existing SQL Server licenses in the cloud without additional fees.
On top of these benefits, Windows Server Premium Assurance and SQL Server Premium Assurance add six more years of product support for eligible products—for a total of 16 years of support.
Learn more about Windows Server Premium Assurance and SQL Server Premium Assurance.