With end of support looming for Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008, Microsoft has a new option for those users to keep getting security updates: By moving workloads to Azure.

It's not 2008 anymore. Joey details the ins and outs of upgrading these aging Microsoft servers, including licensing changes, support options and potential pitfalls.

Microsoft officials announced at TechEd South Africa on August 6 that SQL Server 2008 has been released to manufacturing.

Warnings Information in this article applies to Microsoft SQL Server 2012. The instructions for earlier versions of SQL Server, including versions 2008 and 2005, are similar.

The clock is ticking on Microsoft’s Extended Support for SQL Server 2008/R2, unless you migrate to the Azure cloud. Here’s how ...