PeerSpot user
Senior SQL DBA at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Quite reliable in cluster configurations and has helped me to reduce downtime and improve SLAs
Pros and Cons
  • "If backups and alerts are configured properly, I can also rely on my restoration plan."
  • "It is quite reliable in cluster configurations and has helped me to reduce downtime and improve SLAs."
  • "Comparing with other database management systems that I tried in other companies, SQL Server is quite easy to install, configure, and maintain."
  • "I would appreciate a dark theme for SQL Server Management Studio and ability to add databases with TDE enabled into availability groups."

What is our primary use case?

Usually I install an SQL Server as part of something bigger from Microsoft (NAV, CRM, SharePoint, SCCM, SCOM, BizTalk, etc.) or some custom built solution that was designed around this DMBS. 

I also teach in a university. My students admit that SQL Server is quite easy to install and work with if you are a total beginner (compared with others). 

How has it helped my organization?

I am not sure, as we have been working with it from the start. Comparing with other database management systems that I tried in other companies, SQL Server is quite easy to install, configure, and maintain. It is also quite reliable in cluster configurations and has helped me to reduce downtime and improve SLAs. If backups and alerts are configured properly, I can also rely on my restoration plan saving my butt more than once. 

What is most valuable?

Always On is my favorite feature. I do like availability groups and cannot imagine how I lived with them before. 

Microsoft tries to release new features with every version, but I cannot say that they are killer features. Usually these are just "nice to have" stuff. However, SQL Server works and it works just fine. It is really reliable if you don't shoot your own leg. All the basic functionality is 100% bulletproof. 

What needs improvement?

I like it the way it is, though I would appreciate a dark theme for SQL Server Management Studio and ability to add databases with TDE enabled into availability groups.

I am aware of Connect and Trello pages, and there are a lot of good ideas from other people, most of them are useful only in some very rare scenarios. There are interesting suggestions present, and Microsoft should pay more attention. 

Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Over the years, there was one service pack and two cumulative updates that were recalled as problematic ones, but otherwise it is very stable system.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Unfortunately, SQL Server cannot be scaled out so easily as some NoSQL solutions. There are some options that may allow it to work with quite enormous workloads. For example, try to google how Stack Overflow is built (yes, it works with SQL Server). They have quite an interesting architecture. 

How are customer service and support?

It depends. The shear number of support specialists is huge. You can get a freshman or a seasoned veteran. Usually, it is tolerable but it might take a while to solve a problem. In my experience, 50% of all problems can be resolved by installation of the latest patch. In 25% of times, it is your own stupidity. The 25% that left are real bugs, exotic configurations, and rocket science-level problems with a real high-load and very specific code and environments. 

How was the initial setup?

It depends how many features you want to implement. Basic stuff is very easy to install, but if you want to implement all the features or deploy a high-load or a clustered environment, it might be tricky. That is why you need a good architect and skilled DBA for something really complicated. 

What about the implementation team?

I have seen everything. It always depends on people skills. To get full performance from the SQL Server you need a well prepared environment and hard team work. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This is a downside of enterprise Microsoft products. Currently, almost all of my machines are in Azure and I think it is the best way of licensing now (VM+software).

What other advice do I have?

Though I do like the SQL Server, I must say it is very hard to find a good DBA nowadays and having a DBMS without a DBA is like having a car without a driver and skills to drive it yourself. Before choosing or switching to this DMBS, check what kind of workforce is available in your area. 

You may consider Azure SQL Database as a simple alternative, but I would advise it only for small workloads though.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Systems Analyst/DBA at Vecima Networks
Real User
Leaderboard
A relational database system that is critical for storing reporting data

What is our primary use case?

The primary use of SQL Server is to store and retrieve data.  If you go into the extra features that come with your license, you can also do reporting, analytics and ETL.

What is most valuable?

Everything is valuable. It is a relational database system which is critical for storing reporting data or any data that is highly relate-able. Plus your data is one of the most important assets in your company.  Might as well have a good system to protect it.

How has it helped my organization?

In a manufacturing system, storing test data in an Excel file has limitations in how much data can be stored at one time and how many people can manipulate the data at one time. Storing it in SQL Server allows you to store as much data as you have disk space for. It can be viewed and modified by multiple people at one time.

What needs improvement?

Setting up some of the more complex systems could be simpler. Things like service broker can be tricky to set up for the inexperienced.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability seems very good. I have not seen any issues with this.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not run into scalability issues. It feels very scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not needed to contact technical support for this product

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I did not use a previous solution. I have heard of other companies using Microsoft Access or Excel for similar problems. However, after hearing the headaches they have, I would not recommend those for large scale projects.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward, but configuration post-install can be complex. Complexity comes from attempting to optimize it and implementing some of the new features that come in new versions.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it entirely in-house.  

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing and licensing is based on a per core and/or per-processor license. Try to keep these low, but keep it above four. (Four is the minimum number of cores.) If you are working mostly with OLTP, make sure your single thread CPU speeds are high.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options. The other options lacked support, lacked performance, or were too expensive.

What other advice do I have?

If you don't have a DBA on site, hiring a consultant is recommended to help get things setup and configured. This will reduce headaches down the line.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
PeerSpot user
IT Director at DAR AL ARKAN
Real User
The AlwaysOn feature ensures database availability, even when one of the servers is down.

What is most valuable?

Apart from the standard SQL database-related features, the 2012 version enables the AlwaysOn functionality which enables two or more SQL Servers that can be clustered, with heartbeat across geographic locations along with high availability failover and 99.9999% uptime.

How has it helped my organization?

We have deployed three instances of the SQL Server, i.e., two at the primary datacenter and one at the disaster recovery facility. The AlwaysOn feature has ensured 100% database availability, even when one of the servers is down without any performance issues for the end user.

What needs improvement?

The Always ON (High Availability) functionality is support only with the MS SQL enterprise edition. It would be beneficial to many if this feature were also made available in the Standard Edition.

For how long have I used the solution?

I am using the SQL Server for more than 10 years and the 2012 version, I have been using since the last five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There were no stability issues. If the initial configuration is done correctly, there are no issues. If the other servers are connected at remote locations, then the connectivity performance plays a vital role and it should be 10-15 ms for best results.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There were no scalability issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have received excellent support from Microsoft and the local partners.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In the earlier versions, we used log shipping to the other servers for the failover and replication requirements. With this version, all the servers are Active/Active and there is no issue related to the availability or failover.

How was the initial setup?

The basic installation is simple, whereas rest of the clustering requires an expert skill level for the configuration and deployment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

When comparing the Standard Edition to the Enterprise, it is expensive but the performance and features meet with the ROI and TCO. Thus, overall, it minimizes the redundant servers, multiple backup copies, the risk of non-availability of the latest copy at the disaster recovery.

What other advice do I have?

The latest 2016 version has many more new features and functionalities, if you have the Enterprise Level Agreement and subscription model, you can upgrade to the latest version.

The Always ON (High Availability) functionality is support only with the MS SQL enterprise edition. It will be beneficial to many, if this feature is available in Standard Edition.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Data Analyst at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Easy use and simple to expand with good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "We found it to be quite scalable."
  • "While using it, we really didn't experience any pain points."

What is our primary use case?

I'm a web developer, and I use SQL for the backend.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable aspect of the solution is its ease of use.

It's a pretty stable solution.

We found it to be quite scalable. 

What needs improvement?

While using it, we really didn't experience any pain points. It doesn't need any additional features. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have a couple of years of experience with the solution so far. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability and performance are good. It doesn't crash or freeze. it's not buggy. there are no glitches. It's pretty reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability has been good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so.

How are customer service and support?

I've never used technical support. I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they would be. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution I'm using. 

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been satisfied with its overall capabilities in general.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
senior system integrator at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Easy to expand and a nice backend server, but requires active-active options
Pros and Cons
  • "We have found the solution to be scalable."
  • "There are a few use cases where we do need the Active-Active options instead of Active-Passive, yet those kinds of options are not available for Microsoft."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution as a backend server.

There are a few applications of the Oracle product for our data sitting on the SQL Server as well. 

What is most valuable?

It's useful as a backend server.

We have found the solution to be scalable. 

What needs improvement?

The stability of the product needs to be improved. It's really not stable enough.

In Microsoft, the Active-Active options are not available. There are a lot of requirements that are coming right from the customer, which may not be provided by Microsoft. There are a few use cases where we do need the Active-Active options instead of Active-Passive, yet those kinds of options are not available for Microsoft.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been working with the solution for going on five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've struggled with the stability of the product. We'd like for it to be more stable and reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good. If a company needs to expand, it can do so.

What other advice do I have?

We are a customer and an end-user.

I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten. While the scalability is there, the solution is lacking a few aspects that customers really need.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
PeerSpot user
Veerender Kumar - PeerSpot reviewer
Product Owner at Software Technology
Real User
Straightforward installation, easy database access, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "They have improved the UI and ease of accessing the database and server which is good. You can load it up and start using it from the very minute it is implemented."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use SQL Server to manage and store information.

    What is most valuable?

    They have improved the UI and ease of accessing the database and server which is good.
    You can load it up and start using it from the very minute it is implemented.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using SQL Server for two and a half years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    SQL Server is stable. We have more resources that are using it, I am more familiar with SQL Server. I have been using it for a long time. Most of the time it has been stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is scalable.

    We have approximately 30 people in my organization using this solution.

    How are customer service and support?

    The technical support is okay.

    How was the initial setup?

    The installation is straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    We have administrators and engineers that do support the solution.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    We are on a monthly subscription and the price could improve. However, the price has worked out well in some deployments. The problem is you never know what kind of services have been installed and you have to be in touch with many people, such as which servers are active or which are not. I did face a couple of issues in terms of subscriptions and the pricing model. They have improved over time.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to others. My advice to others wanting to implement this solution is you have to consider the industry demand and the benefits or advantages of a solution before you choose, for example, Oracle or Microsoft.

    I rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Enterprise Solutions Architect at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
    Real User
    Good Support, and easy to install
    Pros and Cons
    • "SQL Server scales well."
    • "While this is a reliable product, it has room for improvement."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use SQL Server as a database management system for all of our projects.

    What needs improvement?

    While this is a reliable product, it has room for improvement.

    Although Microsoft SQL was accessible in some projects, we did not use it everywhere. It is determined by the project. It's quite beneficial in some circumstances, but it couldn't support SQL databases in others, consequently, we used other suppliers like Oracle, Informix DB, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and others.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using SQL Server for quite some time now.

    We use it both on-premises and in the cloud. It is dependent on the projects.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    SQL Server is a stable solution.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    SQL Server scales well.

    In the future, we may expand our usage.

    How are customer service and support?

    I don't have any issues with the technical support.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We evaluated each product after using it, starting with Informix DB and ending with Oracle.

    Oracle, Informix DB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL are among the products we use.

    How was the initial setup?

    It's quite easy to install.

    Completing the installation is not an issue.

    What about the implementation team?

    My position is not related to installation, but if it is necessary, I am capable of doing it.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    It requires the purchase of a license. Our company's products all have licenses.

    What other advice do I have?

    It is appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses.

    I would recommend this solution to others.

    I would rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Regional Head Customer Experience at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Easy to use, highly stable, but performance needs improvement
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is easy to use and provides similar features to other competitors."
    • "SQL Server could improve by increase the performance, it cannot handle large amounts of data. I did not find any additional features compared to others solutions."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use a tool called Tosca for automation and all the automation artifacts we are saving are on the SQL Server.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is easy to use and provides similar features to other competitors.

    What needs improvement?

    SQL Server could improve by increase the performance, it cannot handle large amounts of data. I did not find any additional features compared to others solutions.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for a few years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have not scaled the solution extensively, but I do not foresee any problems.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We have been using Hadoop and Spark.

    How was the initial setup?

    The installation and configuration are straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    We have a team of three people doing the backend maintenance and application support for this solution.

    What was our ROI?

    We did not encounter any issues that we would need support. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to others for small operations. For bigger applications with large amounts of data and a lot of users, I would not recommend it.

    I rate SQL Server a six out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: March 2024
    Product Categories
    Relational Databases Tools
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.