I work as a BI specialist, so I am directly using SQL Server since I am using the database and making reports from it via SSAS.
Senior Business Intelligence Developer
Enables basic BI tasks but lacks AI functionality
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to use for a BI specialist."
- "I use SQL Server daily for data analysis using its database capabilities and reporting via SSAS, and it is easy to use for a BI specialist."
- "It can be better if it enables the use of AI functions."
- "Based on my experience, SQL Server is a common tool and does not offer significantly higher benefits or anything too special."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
I use SQL Server daily for data analysis using its database capabilities and reporting via SSAS. It is easy to use for a BI specialist.
What needs improvement?
It can be better if it enables the use of AI functions. I used to work with Alteryx, and it has an analytical platform that was best for working directly from a database with machine learning algorithms. So, it would be better, I think.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for around three years.
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
July 2026
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability around nine or ten. I have not encountered any problems with it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used to work with Dataiku, however, I switched jobs. I used to work as a developer for Dataiku, and now I am working as a BI specialist.
How was the initial setup?
I think it is not easy to work with date types when compared to Oracle. Oracle is more useful, but I do not know which feature is better for SQL Server.
What about the implementation team?
I deploy all packages myself and use SSIS for that. We are creating stored procedures and triggering some jobs in SQL Server. I did the deployment by myself.
What was our ROI?
I am unable to determine any ROI since I have always used SQL Server and cannot compare it with other tools.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have previously worked with Dataiku.
What other advice do I have?
Based on my experience, SQL Server is a common tool and does not offer significantly higher benefits or anything too special. It is easy to use, and I would recommend it to others.
I would rate it around five on a scale of one to 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.
IT Manager at a construction company with 51-200 employees
Allows to set up redundant databases and replication in the databases
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's most valuable feature is that we can set up redundant databases and replication in the databases."
- "The solution’s pricing is high."
What is our primary use case?
We use SQL Server to query our database for specific reports we need to write for our clients.
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature is that we can set up redundant databases and replication in the databases. SQL Server has very good integration capabilities.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s pricing is high.
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?
SQL Server is a very stable solution,
I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s scalability is quite good. Around 30 users use the solution in our organization. Currently, I use SQL Server about once a week.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
The solution was implemented by an in-house team in a couple of hours.
What was our ROI?
SQL Server has dramatically improved our ROI. We couldn't do without it, and it's been a very valuable tool.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the solution to users looking for any form of transactional database or commercial database.
Overall, I rate the solution 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.
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
July 2026
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.
AVP at MIDDAY INFOMEDIA LIMITED
A server to install different databases with linking servers, well-suited for handling large volumes of data
Pros and Cons
- "SQL Server stands out due to its robust parallel processing capabilities."
- "The solution’s pricing and integration could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to install different databases.
How has it helped my organization?
We were using SQL Server as a major database in our organization. We partitioned the data in such a way for a more extended period, and our archival process may manage that.
What is most valuable?
We mostly use linking servers and several applications; one pulls data from another. Thus, we created a Linked Server and implemented a replication algorithm to facilitate data transfer between different sources.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s pricing and integration could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
I rate the solution’s stability a 9 out of 10.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
More than 1000 concurrent users are using this solution. We use horizontal and vertical data partitioning, allowing us to manage and distribute data across tables efficiently. Additionally, we use sharding for certain databases to handle large datasets effectively.
How are customer service and support?
Support is good. We never had any problem with the support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Compared with other databases like Oracle, SQL Server stands out due to its robust parallel processing capabilities. It is well-suited for handling large volumes of data. Oracle is preferred in enterprise scenarios with big databases because of its support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy and takes around 15-20 minutes.
We use data instances to deploy SQL Server in some cases. We had the static deployment.
What other advice do I have?
We used Windows authentication to ensure more secure communication with the server. The entire request was encrypted with a server certificate, providing point-to-point security for our application. Additionally, when storing sensitive information such as credit card details or specific premises, we ensured it was encrypted in transit and at rest.
The SQL Server interface is better than that of Postgres.
We needed query optimization and data analysis to enhance query performance. Based on the database, there were many stable participants when the load was very high. We marked some of the queries for optimization to achieve better performance. We devised a plan, including creating more indexes, to improve the overall performance of the SQL Server. These were the steps we took to enhance the performance of the SQL server.
It is more compatible with customer service than any other database.
Overall, I rate the solution a 9 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Professor at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Users need to go through a simple initial setup process to use it
Pros and Cons
- "The product's initial setup phase was simple."
- "The interface of the tool has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
There are no specific use cases attached to the solution. From an academic point of view, I make the tool available to the students for some training or tests. I also used it to compare the functionalities of Oracle Data Integrators with other data integration systems.
What is most valuable?
I can't comment on the valuable features of the product right now since I recently downloaded some whitepaper and manuals. I downloaded the documentation related to the tool, but I haven't used much of the system. I know that SQL Server is a good system, based on a report I read on the Gartner website.
What needs improvement?
The interface of the tool has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for ten to twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I haven't tested the system for scalability. I use it for simple tasks.
As per our company's agreement with Microsoft, some of the software from Microsoft 10 was included in SQL Server when there were about 1,000 students attending database classes using it.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was simple.
What other advice do I have?
There were no specific projects for which I used the tool. I conduct classes related to data integration. I need to use some products attached to the data integration area having a Python framework. I wanted to compare the tool with some commercial tools such as Oracle Data Integrator.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.
SQL Servers and Power BI Report Servers can integrate well.
I rate the tool a seven to eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior General Manager at Worly Plumbing Supply, Inc.
Easy to use and provides good speed and data recovery
Pros and Cons
- "Agent service is a good feature of SQL Server, where you can schedule certain tasks."
- "SQL Server is an expensive solution"
What is our primary use case?
Most of our clients use SQL Server as a back-end source.
What is most valuable?
Agent service is a good feature of SQL Server, where you can schedule certain tasks. The solution's encryption feature allows the data to be encrypted while transferring from one place to another. The solution's performance and speed are also good. Indexing and Magic Tables are very good features of SQL Server. We have a different transition style with the solution.
What needs improvement?
SQL Server is an expensive solution, and its pricing should be reduced.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for 18 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SQL Server is a highly stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s performance and scalability are very good. Our clients for SQL Server are enterprise businesses.
I rate the solution a 9 out of 10 for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is easy.
What about the implementation team?
The solution can be deployed within a few minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
SQL Server is an expensive solution.
On a scale from 1 to 10, when one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a 9 out of 10.
What other advice do I have?
The solution has a good data recovery feature. There are a lot of ways you can recover data. You can manage the recovery, resilience, and disaster management with SQL Server. I would recommend SQL Server to other users because it's easy to use, stable, and has a lot of features. The solution is suitable for different types of companies as per the requirement, including small, medium, and large enterprises.
Overall, I rate the solution 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
Data engineer at ASR Nederland N.V.
The restoration of data is very easy compared to any other database
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is very intuitive and easy to use."
- "The performance degrades when the data is huge."
What is our primary use case?
We extracted data from SAP and stored it in SQL Server. We created a connection between the Data Services Server and the SQL Server. If anything went wrong, there were SQL Server experts who took care of everything. So, we extracted data from our ERP system and stored it in SQL Server.
What is most valuable?
Whenever we had to restore the data, it was not as difficult as restoring the database to any other RDBMS. The restoration of data is very easy compared to any other database. The solution is very intuitive and easy to use. It is one of the best relational database systems in the market. The restore and backup strategy was not complicated. The ease of use was excellent compared to any other databases.
What needs improvement?
The performance degrades when the data is huge. It also degrades when there is a flux of data.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used the solution for four to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable. I rate the stability a seven out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is pretty scalable. We had 100 users in our organization. We can scale the tool vertically and horizontally.
What other advice do I have?
SQL Server is the best database when the data is not huge or when we know that the data is coming in at a specific rate. I rate the integration of the product with SAP BusinessObjects Data Services nine out of ten. It is easy. We did not come across any issues or delays. Every organization uses Microsoft. SQL Server is one of the oldest RDBMSs on the market. It is easy to use and intuitive. A lot of people know about it. The ease of use is greater than any other server in the market. Overall, I rate the solution an eight and a half 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.
Product owner at Digitt Plus (AFT)
A robust and secure solution that helps to store data
Pros and Cons
- "SQL Server is essentially the backbone of every microservice. From a developer's perspective, it is the backbone of all microservices. The tool enables data retrieval, set data, and essential operations, ensuring the smooth functioning of applications. In essence, it is the integral part that keeps applications operational."
- "The GUI needs improvement. From a technical perspective, it's quite complex, which may not be a problem for individuals with technical backgrounds like ours, especially since we've encountered similar interfaces. However, navigating the GUI can be challenging for newcomers or product owners without technical experience. For example, as someone transitioning from a developer role to a product management role, I find it relatively easy to use the GUI. But for those without a technical background, it's much more challenging to grasp what's happening."
What is most valuable?
SQL Server is essentially the backbone of every microservice. From a developer's perspective, it is the backbone of all microservices. The tool enables data retrieval, set data, and essential operations, ensuring the smooth functioning of applications. In essence, it is the integral part that keeps applications operational.
The solution's security features are good.
What needs improvement?
The GUI needs improvement. From a technical perspective, it's quite complex, which may not be a problem for individuals with technical backgrounds like ours, especially since we've encountered similar interfaces. However, navigating the GUI can be challenging for newcomers or product owners without technical experience. For example, as someone transitioning from a developer role to a product management role, I find it relatively easy to use the GUI. But for those without a technical background, it's much more challenging to grasp what's happening.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool's stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability and performance depend on application size and data size. Overall, the performance is pretty good and decent. My company has 20-30 users.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't contacted the technical support. Our DBA manages it.
How was the initial setup?
SQL Server is easy to deploy. A five-member technical team maintains it.
What other advice do I have?
I rate SQL Server a nine out of ten. It is robust, secure, scalable, and can store data. It can handle multiple users with good customer support. We have integrated it with IDE and Git.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System analyst at Ministry of Interior
A reliable database management system that is able to handle significant volumes of data
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is valuable because it seamlessly extracts reports and enables the collection of information from different tables."
- "There is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to limited compatibility across the platform and restricted performance with massive data sets."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for warehouse data management, as well as for statistical reports. It facilitates tabling and query processing while supporting multiple database operations.
What is most valuable?
The solution is valuable because it seamlessly extracts reports and enables the collection of information from different tables.
What needs improvement?
There is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to limited compatibility across the platform and restricted performance with massive data sets. Enhancing those two areas would significantly improve the operation. It is important to mention the licensing cost, as well. Optimization of the licensing options to fit different needs and businesses would be of great benefit.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used this solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a robust and stable solution. Its tracking record is reliable and it can handle large volumes of data.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SQL Server offers easy scalability, allowing databases to grow as the data and user base expand.
How are customer service and support?
Their customer service is great. When we faced certain issues, they solved them fast. There were no problems with communication.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy, and integrating the system is okay. The only issue is regarding the customization of the business process of the organization, it might take some time. Ultimately, it depends on the client's specific needs.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
SQL Server is an expensive solution. Their pricing structure and licensing options are not budget-friendly, so I believe it is an essential factor to consider when choosing the right product.
What other advice do I have?
It proved to be a great fit for medium-sized enterprises, in terms of the variety of the tools it provides. For bigger projects and specific needs, there might be a need to employ different solutions such as Oracle, and ERP systems. But overall, it works great as a relationship database management system. I would rate it eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Backups data quickly and initial setup is easy
Pros and Cons
- "Managing database is very good."
- "Sometimes we experience issues with its stability."
What is our primary use case?
We do backups or restore or query tables to create the views, create some triggers to send the attachment report files, and to report on data.
What is most valuable?
It makes managing the database easy. Backups are very quick.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes we experience issues with its stability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience with SQL Server for 3-4 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes we experience issues with its stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Five thousand users are using the solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. Fifteen twenty minutes required for deployment.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution 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.
Information Technology Manager at a retailer with 51-200 employees
A stable solution that hosts ERP systems and connects with PowerBI
Pros and Cons
- "The ability to see tables, reviews, and custom script options is good."
- "The upgrades are unstable."
What is our primary use case?
We use SQL Server to host our ERP system. It serves both as the underlying database and server application software. This database solution handles all our ERP calls.
How has it helped my organization?
We use SQL Server to support Business Intelligence. It also connects with Power BI. We create all our views and datasets in SQL, specifically for Power BI. Previously, we used Tableau but transitioned to Power BI for all our analytics needs.
What is most valuable?
SQL Server provides access to audio information and audio tables. You can customize and create views. The ability to customize and upload these services is uncertain when migrating, but SQL in a local environment or Azure seems suitable for now. The ability to see tables, reviews, and custom script options is good.
What needs improvement?
The upgrades are unstable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for several years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s scalability a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The support is pretty good. We have never had to reach out to Microsoft for issues. It is a pretty solid application.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. You need to install technical agents and create databases.
What other advice do I have?
We use Active Directory authentication. If you have access to the database, it's secure. Not everyone with access to the database can access it. Only our IT staff or those who require access have permission. It does offer a high level of control and security.
We have a small team. We could explore Azure Virtual Desktop or engage with local partners if we need additional technical knowledge. We employ a cloud gateway, enabling our SQL database to be somewhat cloud-based. This facilitates integration with various cloud applications, such as the Power Platform. We use Power Apps and Power Automate, allowing us to connect to our database in adaptable and scalable ways.
I recommend the solution if it meets your requirements.
Overall, I rate the solution an 8 out of 10.
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: July 2026
Popular Comparisons
Teradata
MySQL
Oracle Database
MongoDB Atlas
SAP HANA
MariaDB
IBM Db2 Database
CockroachDB
Google Cloud SQL
SAP IQ
Amazon Aurora
Oracle Database In-Memory
Actian Ingres
YugabyteDB
Citus Data
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?



















