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reviewer1635153 - PeerSpot reviewer
VP Global Information Technology at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A scalable and stable solution with a flawless setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is easy, flawless."
  • "I want to see one improvement and this involves the replication between the DC and DR."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the latest version.

We can use the solution for the same application. On the database side we have Microsoft SQL and on the operating system side we have 2019.

What needs improvement?

I want to see one improvement and this involves the replication between the DC and DR. We have limited options at the moment and it does not lend sufficient support for the number of databases. This means we have a huge number of databases, topping approximately 2,000. For the moment, this particular replication is not supported by SQL. 

The support number of databases needs to be increased, as well as the database number of databases that it supports. That support cannot be found when it comes to the replication between the DC and DR. 

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?

The solution is sufficiently stable. 

Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

When it comes to the speed, knowledge and customer-friendliness of the technical support, we feel these to be good. 

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

We did not use other solutions prior to SQL Server. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy, flawless. 

It lasts a single day. 

What about the implementation team?

We handed the implementation on our own. 

This involved a technical team of 15 people. 

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

There is a need to pay for the license for SQL Server. We have an enterprise license, which we consider to be fine. 

What other advice do I have?

We have 10,000 customers. 

I would recommend the solution to others. 

SQL Server is good and I rate it as a nine 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
System Administrator at ARTIc
Real User
Easy query creation, scalable, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "We have found the solution valuable because we are able to easily create a query, shrink, backup, and make new tables."
  • "If you are a new user then this solution could be difficult, they could improve by making the overall usage easier."

What is our primary use case?

We are using SQL Server for the backend of our SAP and are planning on moving to a cloud version soon.

How has it helped my organization?

This solution has helped our organization by providing a backbone for our SAP. We would not be able to operate without it.

What is most valuable?

We have found the solution valuable because we are able to easily create a query, shrink, backup, and make new tables.

What needs improvement?

We are using an older version of SQL Server and the migration to a newer version could be made easier.

If you are a new user then this solution could be difficult, they could improve by making the overall usage easier.

In an upcoming release, they could improve the ability to customize the solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SQL Server for approximately ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not experienced any problems with the stability of this solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SQL Server is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not used the support from Microsoft. However, we did have freelance support a few times.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is very easy. We did not have any challenges.

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

The price of the solution is very expensive. If I went with the cloud version of SQL a license would cost me approximately 11,000 Riyals per month.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have a team that has evaluated other solutions before we chose SQL Server, such as Oracle.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. However, Oracle has a good reputation for quality that might be a better choice.

I rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
SQL Server
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Digital Transformation Architect at Comdata
Real User
Very stable, user-friendly, easy to troubleshoot, and easy to manage databases
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a very user-friendly solution. It is easy to manage the databases and troubleshoot any issue. It is a perfect solution for the volume or transactions that we need to manage."
  • "The way to make cursors and manage raw data in rows can be improved. Currently, the way to construct or build these cursors is very hard, and you can waste memory. You need a highly skilled person to make it more efficient. It can also have support for Cubes, which is the organization of data in different dimensions by using MDX languages."

What is our primary use case?

We developed a product that is using five or six databases supported on SQL Server. 

What is most valuable?

It is a very user-friendly solution. It is easy to manage the databases and troubleshoot any issue. It is a perfect solution for the volume or transactions that we need to manage.

What needs improvement?

The way to make cursors and manage raw data in rows can be improved. Currently, the way to construct or build these cursors is very hard, and you can waste memory. You need a highly skilled person to make it more efficient.

It can also have support for Cubes, which is the organization of data in different dimensions by using MDX languages.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable. I would rate it an eight out of ten in terms of stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. You can get scalability by using the link servers, or you can create another instance in another server and make a link with that server. It is very quick.

We have around 50 users of this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not interacted with them.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup is easy. It takes a week. One of the things that you need to pay attention to is the collection.

What other advice do I have?

It is a nice product. You can use it as you want. If you don't know how to use it, you will waste it. Oracle is more powerful than this, but it is great for our needs.

I would rate SQL Server an eight 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
Rafael Keller - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at Pluris Midia
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Good technical support, easy to set up, and the documentation is helpful
Pros and Cons
  • "The documentation and manuals are very good."
  • "I would like to have the option to use fewer processors for certain tasks, thus reducing the licensing fee."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use is to maintain my database client.

What is most valuable?

What I like best about this product is the environment.

The documentation and manuals are very good.

What needs improvement?

The pricing could be improved.

I would like to have the option to use fewer processors for certain tasks, thus reducing the licensing fee. That would be great.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with SQL Server for more than 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I use SQL Server on a daily basis.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is not very good because when you add processors to the machine, the price of the license goes up. Scaling is very expensive. We have approximately 500 people who are using it.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is very good.

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

We used the Oracle Database prior to SQL Server.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple and the deployment took one day.

What about the implementation team?

We had assistance with our deployment and the experience was very good.

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

This is an expensive product, especially when you need two servers, or for enterprise solutions. We pay approximately $12,000 USD per month for both the server and the license.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

At this time, all of my applications are running on SQL Server. However, in the future, if the application can be migrated to Oracle or another database then I may do that because SQL Server is very expensive.

What other advice do I have?

This is a good product, although my advice is that if a company can afford it then they should use Oracle instead.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Girish Vijay - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Manager IT at Carl Bechem Lubricants India Pvt. Ltd.
Real User
Top 5
Users can quickly and efficiently retrieve a large amount of records from a database
Pros and Cons
  • "The latest version supports for big data analytics. SQL Server's vector processing-based batch execution mode is now available to the entire execution of R or Python code. Since much of the work that tends to be done in R and Python involves aggregation, batch mode - which processes rows of data several at a time, can be very helpful."
  • "CAL licenses should cost less. Microsoft usually prices high for client access licenses. Server plus user client access license (CAL) licensing requires a separate Server license for each server on which the software is installed, plus a user CAL for each user accessing the server."

What is our primary use case?

ERP Database.

Using the SQL queries, the user can quickly and efficiently retrieve a large number of records from a database. In standard SQL, it is very easy to manage the database system. It doesn't require a substantial amount of code to manage the database system. Long established are used by the SQL databases that are being used by ISO and ANSI. Using the SQL language, the users can make different views of the database structure.SQL has a difficult interface that makes few users uncomfortable while dealing with the database.

How has it helped my organization?

Microsoft database is very user friendly. This new version of SQL Server continues to meet these twin demands. It adds new features from the worlds of data science and NoSQL. It offers cross-platform capabilities and Docker container compatibility. But it also reinforces its investment in core database engine performance, ease of index maintenance, high availability, and data warehouse performance. That's a difficult balance and one that other database vendors don't have to meet. While this may be Microsoft's cross to bear, the company does pretty well with it, turning a formidable challenge into a positive market differentiator.

What is most valuable?

The latest version supports for big data analytics. SQL Server's vector processing-based batch execution mode is now available to the entire execution of R or Python code. Since much of the work that tends to be done in R and Python involves aggregation, batch mode - which processes rows of data several at a time, can be very helpful. Two other new batch mode features, memory grant feedback, and adaptive joins will enhance SQL Server's performance and efficiency as well. It is good to move from Microsoft to deal with big data analytics

What needs improvement?

CAL licenses should cost less. Microsoft usually prices high for client access licenses. Server plus user client access license (CAL) licensing requires a separate Server license for each server on which the software is installed, plus a user CAL for each user accessing the server. A SQL Server CAL is required for a user to access or use the services or functionality of either edition of SQL Server and frequent updates to the latest versions will lead to obsolete and discontinuing the security patches has to be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

Since two years

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Very good stability with 250-300 users.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This product can withstand with 250-300 users.

How are customer service and technical support?

Very good.

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

SQL standard 2008.

How was the initial setup?

Straightforward - no complexity.

What about the implementation team?

Vendor team with an in-house team.

What was our ROI?

2 years.

What other advice do I have?

It is an overall very good product.

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
Independent Consultant at Unaikui
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Enables us to have continuous integration with high uptime
Pros and Cons
  • "The stability is fine, especially if you're hosting it on AWS or Azure. You can get up to 99.99% stability on AWS."
  • "Support could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for continuous integration, including CI/CD integration.

What needs improvement?

Support could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SQL Server since 1992. I’ve used AWS and Azure for two and three years, respectively.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is fine, especially if you're hosting it on AWS or Azure. You can get up to 99.99% stability on AWS.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can scale to any extent. You need to increase your EC2 or your app server.

Six team sites with 50 users each are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

Sometimes the response time was high.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. Depending on the complexity, setting up the infrastructure can take a while. You can work on MVP. To deploy on AWS, select SQL Server along with several calls and CPU.

What about the implementation team?

The solution was deployed in-house.

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

You receive other products, like free usage, depending on the number of product shares.

What other advice do I have?

You can use a Cloudflare or web application layer that controls security. Furthermore, you can implement SQL reverse proxy practices for in-house environments and beyond.

To ensure the security of my SQL server, we typically set up a configuration where an API communicates with the SQL Server, and there's a front-end interface. This setup prevents direct access to the database.

Four people are required for the solution’s maintenance, but it depends on the complexity of the solution. You can put one senior and three trainees.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight 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
Prashant Baste - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Solution Architect at Team Computers
Real User
Top 5
User-friendly with ability to extract data from the server and store it in a local data source
Pros and Cons
  • "can extract data from the server and store it in a local data source for BI purposes."
  • "Performance could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to extract data. We have a partnership with Microsoft and I'm a solutions architect. 

What is most valuable?

This is a user-friendly solution. It's great that I can extract the data from the SQL server and store it in my local data source for BI purposes.

What needs improvement?

I think that performance could be improved and SQL presents some challenges for us.

For how long have I used the solution?


What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We haven't faced any scalability issues. We have over 200 users. 

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

I interact with multiple data sources, multiple customers and their ERPs. It can be Oracle, SAP or MongoDB among other solutions. MongoDB, for example, is a little more complex than the SQL Server and we often have more of a challenge establishing a connection with MongoDB.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not a problem. 

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

This solution is moderately expensive. 

What other advice do I have?

I can definitely recommend this solution to smaller and midsize organizations. I rate this solution eight out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Business Intelligence Manager at a consumer goods company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Enables us to use ADF Azure data factory for analysis services for a large amount of data but data navigation could be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "We are using the net for our environment. We're using the ADF Azure data factory for our analysis services, and it is pretty good."
  • "Something that could be improved is the cost because it's very high. That's the only thing I'm concerned about but the technology is good."

What is our primary use case?

We have a large amount of information and data. We are using a lot of business models for our menu mix.

How has it helped my organization?

Because we are using the solution from an analytics perspective, the performance is good. We have a large amount of information in our dashboard. The data navigation could be improved.

What is most valuable?

We are using the net for our environment. We're using the ADF Azure data factory for our analysis services, and it is pretty good.

What needs improvement?

Something that could be improved is the cost because it's very high. That's the only thing I'm concerned about but the technology is good. We are looking forward to getting some discounts because we have a large amount of data.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for three and a half years. The solution is deployed on a public cloud. Azure is the cloud provider.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's much more stable. It's good. We haven't had any downtime during the past two years. The solution has gone down maybe once.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It should be scalable within the coming years because data is growing and the business is growing.

Right now we have about 300 users, but by next year we might have around 2,000 because we also have a retail side, which could also use the platform. Some of their roles are in the executive layers and the managers layers, and reporting line people also.

We are planning to increase the usage. This is a transformation phase, so we are currently using SAP business objects, and we are on the Oracle database. We just moved to Azure cloud with the data warehouse and Power BI tools.

How are customer service and support?

My team works with support. As far as I know the technical support is good, but occasionally it takes a little bit of time.

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

Previously, I was using SAP, which is good. The technology is great. It has many more features than Microsoft SQL, like the data architect and performance.

My plan was to use SAP HANA, but we had an acquisition in our company, so we got a new team and new managers. The head of BI decided to go with Microsoft, however, my POC was already accepted with SAP HANA and AWS cloud hosting. We went in the other direction and started using SQL because the people who were hired were more familiar with the Microsoft technology rather than SAP. 

How was the initial setup?

It is mostly straightforward. There were no issues. It takes about two or three months to prepare. Development takes another three months. It takes almost one year to just kick off the project with live production.

For deployment and maintenance, we used seven or eight people. Most of them were developers and DBAs, and some of them were business analysts.

What about the implementation team?

We used in-house developers and had some consultation from Microsoft.

What was our ROI?

There is a return on investment because based on analytics, we are reducing the number of people who are doing the analytical part so that it's an automated process, and the data will be available to everyone, including business users.

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

Licensing fees increase depending on size and performance. If you want higher performance, you should go for a different course.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 7 out of 10. 

My advice is to know your use case and requirements so that you aren't surprised after deciding to get this product and realizing in the implementation that you need much more space. You at least need to make a massive POC to know if the product will give you 100% what you need.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
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 2025
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