06/08/2026
SQL Server 2016 support ends July 14, 2026. That's closer than most roadmaps admit.
The databases that run your payroll, claims, and customer records don't get any safer after that date. They become a liability nobody officially owns.
Most teams know the deadline. What surfaces later is harder:
→ Which Azure SQL target fits the workload — SQL Database, Managed Instance, or SQL Server on Azure VMs. They aren't interchangeable.
→ Where migrations consistently slip
→ What it takes for data to be genuinely AI-ready, not just technically moved.
If you're still on SQL Server 2016, an assessment is the right starting point.
Read our latest blog for the full migration path, the real cost levers, and how to close the gap between "migrated" and "AI-ready."
https://na2.hubs.ly/H0610mb0
Migrate with confidence: SQL Server 2016 to Azure SQL migration guide. Tools, steps, compatibility checks & best practices.