We are using SQL Server for the backend of our SAP and are planning on moving to a cloud version soon.
System Administrator at a construction company with 501-1,000 employees
Easy query creation, scalable, and reliable
Pros and Cons
- "We have found the solution valuable because we are able to easily create a query, shrink, backup, and make new tables."
- "If you are a new user then this solution could be difficult, they could improve by making the overall usage easier."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
This solution has helped our organization by providing a backbone for our SAP. We would not be able to operate without it.
What is most valuable?
We have found the solution valuable because we are able to easily create a query, shrink, backup, and make new tables.
What needs improvement?
We are using an older version of SQL Server and the migration to a newer version could be made easier.
If you are a new user then this solution could be difficult, they could improve by making the overall usage easier.
In an upcoming release, they could improve the ability to customize the solution.
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
December 2025
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.
879,889 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for approximately ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not experienced any problems with the stability of this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SQL Server is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We have not used the support from Microsoft. However, we did have freelance support a few times.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is very easy. We did not have any challenges.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is very expensive. If I went with the cloud version of SQL a license would cost me approximately 11,000 Riyals per month.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have a team that has evaluated other solutions before we chose SQL Server, such as Oracle.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. However, Oracle has a good reputation for quality that might be a better choice.
I rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
Solution Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Highly scalable, easy to use, but better performance and monitoring needed
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is very easy to use."
- "SQL Server needs to improve in performance and monitoring because there are no specific monitoring solutions to detect and analyze events for issues in the database. You have to use another monitoring solution. If Microsoft could provide an update to this solution or provide a monitoring solution specifically for SQL Server, it would be very valuable."
What is our primary use case?
I have been working on SQL Server for installations, configuring for developers, and for creating backup jobs from the MBF files.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to use.
What needs improvement?
SQL Server needs to improve in performance and monitoring because there are no specific monitoring solutions to detect and analyze events for issues in the database. You have to use another monitoring solution. If Microsoft could provide an update to this solution or provide a monitoring solution specifically for SQL Server, it would be very valuable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found the SQL Server stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is highly scalable. You are able to implement a SQL cluster mechanism for replicating the data between two nodes of the SQL Server. If one of the nodes is down the second node becomes active.
We have approximately 20 developers working directly with SQL Server and approximately 1,000 end-users that are working on the application that is behind the SQL Server.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is good. We had a big problem and after an investigation, we could not find the solution. We needed to make use of Microsoft support team and open a specific case on the Microsoft panel. They were able to provide solutions for solving this issue.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used MySQL.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is not very complex. However, the process could take a long time because you have to follow the step-by-step instructions for the installation. The time it takes to do the installation is approximately two days.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license required for this solution. One of the problems is for smaller businesses to purchases a license because it is expensive for a lot of them to afford.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate SQL Server a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
December 2025
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.
879,889 professionals have used our research since 2012.
NMS Service Automation & RPA Technical Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Scalable with a straightforward setup and good stability
Pros and Cons
- "From a security perspective, we have no complaints."
- "It would be ideal if the solution offered better integration capabilities."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is a part of a product. We use it for our database, among other items.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very stable.
The product scales well.
From a security perspective, we have no complaints.
The initial setup is very straightforward.
What needs improvement?
The solution should work to improve its search functionality.
It would be ideal if the solution offered better integration capabilities. In the future, we expect that our company will need to make more integrations with other systems.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for three years. It hasn't been that long.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
So far, the stability has been very good. We haven't experienced any crashed or anything of that nature. There are no bugs or glitches. It's reliable and the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is very scalable. The only thing that would limit its ability to expand is how your environment is designed. That said, a company should have no trouble scaling it if they would like to.
There are only five of us using the solution right now.
We do plan to increase usage in the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
While I haven't had a chance to open a ticket with technical support, I plan to open one next week, as I have an issue I need to ask them about. However, since I have yet to be in contact, I cannot evaluate their level of service.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex or difficult. It's easy. It's very straightforward and the setup guide is available if you Google it. Anyone can search for the installation guide on whichever version you're installing.
The deployment is quick. It only takes about 30 minutes or so.
We have a technical team of five engineers. If any maintenance is needed, we can handle it.
What about the implementation team?
I installed the product myself. I found an installation guide and just followed the directions. I didn't need the help of a consultant or integrator.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We do not currently pay a licensing fee in order to use this product.
What other advice do I have?
I'm currently using the 2017 version. I am not using the latest version of the solution.
In general, I would rate it at an eight out of ten. For the most part, we have been satisfied with its capabilities.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and organizations.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Lead Technical Instructor at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
A user-friendly, reliable solution for organizing data from subscribers and customers
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is user-friendly, is a robust tool and is always reliable to users."
- "The interface integration could be better."
What is our primary use case?
We are a company that possesses data relating to the banking and telecommunications sectors. We use the solution to organize all data received from subscribers and customers.
What is most valuable?
I feel that this is the simplest of solutions. It is user-friendly, is a robust tool and is always reliable to users. The solution is within the Windows environment. This means that all users, who are already accustomed to Windows, will naturally prefer to use this environment over that of Linux or another operating system.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have a more directed modeling, to have the flexibility to design all databases using a graphic interface. In other words, the interface integration could be better.
To avoid the need to write code, many users like to use the database diagrams as an overall tool and, as such, the solution should be more flexible and user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been actively using SQL Server for up to 10 years. I started with programming, moved to databases and am now concentrating on Power BI.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is quite scalable, as it can be extended to replicate many computers. It can be used in a virtual environment. One would, of course, make use of the cloud. We are now gaining experience in cloud programs such as Azure and AWS.
How are customer service and technical support?
There are two teams which provide technical support. The same team provides support for all these tasks.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not without certain problems. Many users prefer to use Docker in lieu of the original selection. This is more convenient for them owing to certain configurations it possesses. However, if one is incapable of doing this initially he will find it difficult to do at a later date. An example would involve the inclusion of TCP/IP support, which is quite cumbersome. While it is not very difficult, it does require a certain amount of expertise.
We have prepared many virtual machines. Each month we prepare these systems so that they may be ready to meet our needs. This task consumes three to four days per month.
What about the implementation team?
We have a support team who helps our users with deployment. They provide these services to our customers.
When it comes to deployment and maintenance, there are four people responsible for providing the administrative support to us and to our customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Our customers do pay license fees for the MS SQL Server but the Rabbit is free, as it is open-source software.
Some who pay for these prefer in-house, on-premises support, while others take a cloud-based approach.
What other advice do I have?
I am also a consultant to SQL Server.
I usually consult with databases, including the Power BI. I started with data business and now shifted to this.
I strongly recommend the solution because we are doing consulting projects using Java applications.
I rate SQL Server as a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Service Manager at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Easy to set up, very stable, and quite scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has proven to be very stable."
- "The solution could offer more integration with other platforms."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for our banking database.
What is most valuable?
Overall, it's a very good device.
The solution has proven to be very stable.
The scalability potential is very high.
The initial setup is very straightforward and the deployment happens very quickly.
What needs improvement?
The solution could offer more integration with other platforms.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about ten years or so. It's been about a decade. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is very stable, from my experience. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. I've used it for ten years with very few issues. The performance and reliability are very good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale quite well. If your company needs to expand it, it can do so pretty easily. It's not hard.
We currently have 5,000 users on the solution.
We do plan to increase usage in the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
We've dealt with Microsoft technical support in the past and we were very satisfied with the level of service provided to us. They are knowledgeable and responsive.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. I wouldn't describe it as difficult or complex. It's actually very simple. A company shouldn't have too much trouble with the implementation.
The deployment was fast and barely took two days.
We have five people on staff who can handle the deployment and maintenance for us. They are administrators and engineers.
What about the implementation team?
We had a consultant that assisted us with the implementation. They were very helpful and made the implementation very simple.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay a yearly license to Microsoft. I can't speak of the exact cost, however.
What other advice do I have?
We're likely using the latest version of the solution.
I'd rate the product at a nine out of ten. We have been very satisfied with its capabilities over the last decade.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Manager at a printing company with 51-200 employees
Scalable, stable and easy to use for a host of applications
Pros and Cons
- "The solution can be used for a host of applications."
- "The maintenance and tasks should be improved so as to reduce database files."
What is our primary use case?
The solution can be used for a host of applications.
What needs improvement?
The maintenance and tasks should be improved so as to reduce database files.
The complexity of the database should also be reduced, so that its size can be diminished.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for around ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution from the 2008 version is stable. I like the defined database and the ease with which it can be used and that enquiries can be made.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I believe the solution to be scalable and plan to increase our usage.
How was the initial setup?
Installation is relatively easy, although I do not recall how long it took.
What about the implementation team?
We made use of an integrator.
There is not much technical team required for the deployment and maintenance. It consists solely of engineers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing is on an annual basis.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Prior to going with SQL Server I utilized the Oracle Database.
What other advice do I have?
There are around 15 people making use of the solution in our organization. Every computer processing unit has its own license.
I would recommend the solution to other users.
I rate SQL Server as an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Global Head ICT (CITP & MIE) at a non-profit with 1,001-5,000 employees
Runs seamlessly, stable and scalable, and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
- "It is a stable product, and it runs seamlessly. It is not complex."
- "They have too many licensing options. They may want to simplify its licensing and bring it down to two, three, or four categories from ten to fifteen categories. Having so many different licensing options makes it difficult to decide which one to choose from. They can club things together. This is an area where they can make things easier for customers."
What is our primary use case?
We're using it for our on-premise servers, and we have the latest version of SQL Server.
We use SQL Server for the database for Microsoft Navision. We also use it for the Track-It application that helps users in logging in their IT requests. We also manage all the IT inventory through Track-It. It does automatic auditing and traces online IT equipment.
How has it helped my organization?
We have end-computing devices with a server-client type of model. We have a server. All terminals are dumb terminals, but they get connectivity from SQL Server, and it has worked really well. We operate in difficult locations, such as Mombasa in Kenya and Mozambique in Maputo, where power is a big problem. Instead of desktop computers, we went for thin end-computing clients, and it worked really well with SQL Server.
What is most valuable?
It is a stable product, and it runs seamlessly. It is not complex.
It has been there for a long time, and they are doing whatever bug fixes they have to do.
What needs improvement?
They have too many licensing options. They may want to simplify its licensing and bring it down to two, three, or four categories from ten to fifteen categories. Having so many different licensing options makes it difficult to decide which one to choose from. They can club things together. This is an area where they can make things easier for customers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It has pretty good scalability. In terms of usage, we have two different types of usage. For end-computing usage, we have about 600 or 700 students who use the media labs. For Microsoft Navision and Track-It, we have about 100 staff members as users.
It is being used fairly extensively. Microsoft Navision is one of the core solutions of our business, and it is used on a daily basis. End computing is used by students. Because of the pandemic, for the last 14 months, everything is closed, and everybody is remote, so end computing has not been used, but Navision continued to be used. After the school reopens in each location, we will continue to use it even more. We definitely have plans for expansion.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their response is fast.
How was the initial setup?
Its initial setup is very straightforward. In case there is an issue, Microsoft's tech support people come online and help you.
What about the implementation team?
For its deployment and maintenance, two people are required at each location. We have one database specialist and one IT service delivery engineer with networking knowledge.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It comes with the bundle package that we have. We have Microsoft Volume Licensing, so we don't have to pay for it separately. It is a part of the package.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend this solution. I have nothing to complain about.
I would rate SQL Server a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Solutions Architect at a construction company with 11-50 employees
Knocks ROI out of the park
Pros and Cons
- "Scalability, cluster ability, ease of use, ease of implementation — these are all great."
- "In terms of exceptionally large databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle."
What is our primary use case?
SQL Server is enterprise database software. It provides the back end for any number of different applications, including web applications, and other types of internal applications, and software-based applications. It also provides a back end for enterprise backup tools. It's incredibly diverse in terms of its use case.
What is most valuable?
Scalability, cluster ability, ease of use, ease of implementation — these are all great.
What needs improvement?
In terms of exceptionally large databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle. It scales excellently and it's flexible and it can provide a solution for exceptionally large databases, but it doesn't work as well as Oracle does for this particular use case. The performance starts to drag in the case of exceptionally large databases; especially where there's a lot more feature functionality. With Oracle, there's a lot more tunability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this product for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's exceptionally stable. The ease of implementation and the ease of use can't be beaten. I think it's outstanding overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, it's outstanding. The one limitation it has is that at the very, very high end of petabytes-sized databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle. Still, you're not going to run into very many exceptionally large databases. Almost 100% of the use cases for it scale very well.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is available for a separate cost. If you don't have a subscription or a support contract, then you don't get support. You'll be stuck with online forums — that's how you'll have to get answers to questions. Assuming you have a support contract with Microsoft, it's outstanding.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What was our ROI?
This solution is available at a much lower price point than Oracle. Plus, it includes 99% of the same feature functionality. I'd say it knocks ROI out of the park.
What other advice do I have?
If you're interested in using this product, make sure that you have a good understanding of best practices for database implementation. Make sure to incorporate them in your deployment right off the bat. You won't want to have to go back and have to take production databases down because you have to change the configuration, post-implementation. Make sure you get all of these things done, pre-production implementation.
They've come a long, long way in the 20 years I've been working with them. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give SQL Server a rating of nine.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: December 2025
Popular Comparisons
Teradata
MySQL
Oracle Database
SAP HANA
MariaDB
IBM Db2 Database
CockroachDB
Amazon Aurora
Oracle Database In-Memory
Citus Data
SAP IQ
LocalDB
YugabyteDB
IBM Informix
Actian Ingres
Buyer's Guide
Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- Microsoft sql2017 VS SAP Hana
- SQL Server 2005 vs. InfoBright - what are the pros and cons of these solutions?
- SQL Server 2012 - can I make OLTP transactions from my ERP run in memory?
- How does NuoDB compare to MySQL and SQL Server?
- What are the main architectural differences between Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle Multitenant?
- Would you say the price of SQL Server is high compared to that of similar products?
- Has using SQL Server helped your organization in any way?
- Which authentication mode is best for SQL Server?
- Which solution do you prefer: Microsoft SQL Server's enterprise edition or Oracle Database's enterprise edition?
- Which is better: SQL Server or SAP HANA?
















