Longer Windows Server, SQL Server Support Option

Premium Assurance is a new offering that will provide security updates for Windows Server and SQL Server, starting with the 2008 versions of those products, after these products leave Extended support. This offering could assist customers who have technological or regulatory reasons blocking them from migrating to newer versions of these server products. However, customers will need to plan purchases to meet eligibility requirements and minimize costs, and they will have to maintain active Software Assurance (SA) on many licenses.

Change to Server Life Cycle Policies

Premium Assurance is an add-on to SA that provides critical and important security updates and bulletins for SQL Server and Windows Server for up to six years beyond the conclusion of Extended support for versions of these products. The offering will be available for the 2008 and 2008 R2 and newer versions of these products starting in early 2017.

Traditionally, Microsoft has offered five years of Mainstream support (which includes service packs, update rollups, and nonsecurity and security updates) followed by five years of Extended support (which includes only nonsecurity and security updates). After a product left Extended support, customers could sometimes enter into annual Custom Support Agreements (CSAs), which were contracts with expensive annual terms, entitling customers to some continued support, such as security patches, but which required them to create and file a plan to migrate off the covered software before signing a CSA.