Your database lost support. What now?
Microsoft ended extended support for SQL Server 2016 on July 14, 2026, and PostgreSQL 14 reaches end of life on November 12, 2026. Your database won’t stop working, but it stops getting security fixes. Here is what that means and what a small business should do, in order.
The dates
| Version | Support ends | Status today |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2014 | July 9, 2024 | Unsupported |
| SQL Server 2016 | July 14, 2026 | Unsupported (paid security updates available) |
| SQL Server 2017 | October 12, 2027 | Plan your upgrade now |
| PostgreSQL 13 | November 13, 2025 | Unsupported |
| PostgreSQL 14 | November 12, 2026 | Weeks away |
| PostgreSQL 15 | November 11, 2027 | Plan your upgrade now |
Sources: Microsoft Lifecycle (learn.microsoft.com) and the PostgreSQL versioning policy (postgresql.org), read October 23, 2026.
What end of support means
Nothing switches off. The database keeps running, and so does the software that uses it. What stops are the fixes: no more security patches, no more bug fixes and the vendors of the software on top stop certifying it. Every month after that, a newly found flaw stays open. Insurers and auditors increasingly ask about it too.
Your four options
- 1. Upgrade in place. Move to a current version on the same server. Usually the quickest path, if the server and the software on top support it.
- 2. Move to a new server or the cloud. A clean install of a current version, with the data moved across. A good moment to retire an aging server.
- 3. Buy time. Microsoft sells Extended Security Updates for SQL Server 2016 for up to three more years, with eligible licensing. It costs money and only postpones the upgrade.
- 4. Do nothing. Possible for a database that is offline and holds nothing sensitive. For anything connected to the internet or holding customer data, it’s the risky choice.
How we do an upgrade
First a read-only health check: what version you run, what depends on it and whether your backups actually restore. Then a rehearsal on a copy of your data, so surprises happen on the copy. Then a scheduled cutover in a quiet window, with a tested way back. We work remotely anywhere, on Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL. See database care, or ask us for a written quote.
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