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Raphael Haroun  Ikyagh - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
Dec 21, 2023
A stable and straightforward solution that is easy to use and can be deployed quickly
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is easy to use."
  • "The pricing could be better."

What is most valuable?

The product enables us to grant access to users. The product is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The pricing could be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for about four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We did not have any issues with stability. The tool is stable.

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable. Four other users have access to the server. We are not planning to increase the usage.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is straightforward. The deployment does not take very long.

What about the implementation team?

We did not use an integrator for the deployment. Our in-house team has been able to deploy the tool well.

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

We pay a yearly licensing fee.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend the solution to others. The solution is straightforward to work with. Overall, I rate the product a nine 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.
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Prashant Baste - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Solution Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
May 21, 2023
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
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SQL Server
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about SQL Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,707 professionals have used our research since 2012.
BI Developer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
May 21, 2023
Provides comprehensive functionality that makes tasks incredibly easy
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable aspect is the ability to utilize jobs and various functions to accomplish specific tasks, which cannot be achieved with standard procedures alone. This allows for a combination of features and functionalities to be employed."
  • "I have experience working with SQL Server 2016 and older versions, including handling JSON data. Initially, I found the JSON capabilities to be less helpful, but over time, they have greatly improved. SQL Server now offers extensive capabilities for working with various forms of data, particularly when communicating with text, such as in JSON format. I particularly prefer working with these features on Azure, as it provides numerous possibilities, especially in the field of business intelligence (BI). Additionally, the serverless platform offered by Azure is highly beneficial and makes tasks easier to manage."

What is our primary use case?

SQL Server is used to establish secure storage and protect databases from potential vulnerabilities, including those originating from Slack.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable aspect is the ability to use jobs and various functions to accomplish specific tasks, which cannot be achieved with standard procedures alone. This allows for a combination of features and functionalities to be employed.

What needs improvement?

I have experience working with SQL Server 2016 and older versions, including handling JSON data. Initially, I found the JSON capabilities to be less helpful, but over time, they have greatly improved. 

SQL Server now offers extensive capabilities for working with various forms of data, particularly when communicating with text, such as in JSON format. 

I particularly prefer working with these features on Azure, as it provides numerous possibilities, especially in the field of business intelligence (BI). Additionally, the serverless platform offered by Azure is highly beneficial and makes tasks easier to manage.

I have not seen significant returns thus far, but I am eager to enhance my experience by transitioning to work in Azure. This shift to Azure is something I am motivated to improve upon.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with SQL Server since 2018.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not had any issues with the stability of SQL Server.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is dependent on memory.

The matter at hand pertains to whether we are discussing an issue in general or specifically in the context of on-premises environments. However, it is clear that memory and capacity are significant factors in both scenarios. 

Proper management of memory and capacity is essential to ensure smooth system operation and prevent any performance or stability issues. 

As a result, it is essential to handle these issues completely and appropriately in order to meet the system's requirements.

How are customer service and support?

I have not contacted technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The installation process is not complex, but it requires attention to detail in terms of selecting the necessary services and configuring the Cisco server. 

This ensures a proper setup and a tangible model for effective management. While it may not be complicated, it is important to choose the appropriate features during installation. 

Working with ID was not my primary focus; however, I have had the opportunity to work with it for several companies.

What about the implementation team?

It can take an hour to an hour and a half to deploy.

Maintaining it is more challenging than the initial setup. One of the main concerns is ensuring sufficient memory allocation. The default capacity is typically set around sixty, but it can be increased if needed. If there is insufficient memory, it can lead to server downtime and cancellation of transactions, as exceeding the memory limit poses a risk. Therefore, it becomes crucial to address this issue by allocating more memory resources. Additionally, backups and restores play a significant role in ensuring data safety and recovery in case of any issues.

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

For a brief period, approximately one year before 2018, I had experience working with the open-source version of SQL Server. During that time, I found SQL Server to be the preferred choice, in my opinion.

What other advice do I have?

I developed an application for specific purposes related to McDonough. Using Microsoft SQL Server, I constructed the entire database and implemented supporting stored procedures. This application was commissioned by the European Union to enhance government institutions and similar entities.

Additionally, I worked on financial-related stored procedures specifically related to Serbia Card, as part of a project for the USA.

We acted as a subcontractor for S&P within your company. I have extensive experience in SQL Server, particularly within the Microsoft environment.

They should think twice before they do anything and double-check. Definitely.

I have explored different options such as SonicWall and open-source solutions, but my preference lies with SQL Server. I find SQL Server to be fantastic, as it provides comprehensive functionality and makes tasks incredibly easy. 

Working with Postgres is also simpler compared to other databases like Oracle. Perhaps my familiarity with Excel has made SQL Server more intuitive for me. While I understand that Oracle is known for its complexity, I appreciate that its code and syntax bear similarities. 

Overall, I have a strong affinity for Microsoft products.

I would rate SQL Server a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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SQL Database Administrator at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
May 11, 2023
Easy to set up, fairly cost-effective, and scales well
Pros and Cons
  • "There is a lot of information about the solution readily available online."
  • "Technical support could be better."

What is our primary use case?

We're primarily using the solution for our health record system.

How has it helped my organization?

The use of a solution with SQL Server has helped standardize how we import, store, and report data. It is a standard that many applications use so we are able to buy pre-made solutions instead of having to develop a solution and the data can be moved from application to application easily.

What is most valuable?

The solution comes at a more effective price than Oracle. 

It's a little bit more advanced than using MySQL or NoSQL.

It's more prevalent in the industry than SQL Postgre.

The initial setup is mostly straightforward.

The product is scalable. 

The stability has been mostly pretty good.

There is a lot of information about the solution readily available online.

What needs improvement?

Every time Microsoft comes out with a new version, they like to move everything around. Updates are a bit intrusive. For example, it used to be in a certain place and then they update it, and now I can't find it.

Technical support could be better. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SQL Server since version 6.4. I have used it with several different companies and help upgrade several versions.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

With the versions we have, the solution is quite stable. That's one of the reasons we don't immediately download the latest version. We wait a little bit before we go to the newest version. We want to make sure it's very stable beforehand.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very easy to scale. We have between 300 to 500 people that use it. 

How are customer service and support?

Microsoft's tech support is really hard to use. I would rather look outside of Microsoft for solutions. When needed we usually pay the one-time fee but only in rare instances where a deep dive is needed to isolate the issue.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

SQL's been the main solution for this company. I have, however, used Oracle in the past with other companies.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is pretty straightforward.

It can be complex depending on what you're trying to do, however, it has a good user base and user support groups, so there's lots of information. If you're trying to do something, likely somebody else has already done it, and you can usually find that information through a user group or a forum, or even on YouTube or Google.

What about the implementation team?

Implementation was a joint effort with our team and the vendor team. Most of the vendor team was India based and was very low-level for best practices and security. We had to clean up a bunch of their generic implementations and correct code.

What was our ROI?

That is a complex question since there are too many variables that are outside the range of IT to answer.

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

The pricing is pretty decent. It's less expensive than Oracle. 

While the solution started out really reasonable, it's gotten a little bit more pricey, as Microsoft keeps changing how they want to license it.

Whether you're using it in the cloud or on-premise changes the costs involved. A lot of times it might be more cost-effective to do it in the cloud. Microsoft includes a lot of the licensing in the cloud.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The evaluation was based more on the applications and the solution that the business unit wanted to use which are easier to support if they all use the same database structure. The most common was SQL Server.

What other advice do I have?

We're just a customer and end-user.

We're not using the latest version. We're probably one or two versions behind.

I'd advise new users that you want to know what you're going to use it for. I would say it's more suited to a more midsize or larger company than a mom-and-pop shop - unless they're tying it to some software that uses SQL.

I'd rate the solution at 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.
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Tushar Rahatekar - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Systems Analyst at a maritime company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Apr 7, 2022
Low-cost product that does what you want and is easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft is less demanding because everything is GUI, unlike Oracle, where you need to use command lines."
  • "SQL is a highly unstable server - there are patch updates on the Windows server every week, which is why we only use it for non-critical systems."

What needs improvement?

Performance-wise, SQL cannot handle large amounts of data. In the next release, I would like them to commission SQL Server on Linux, as has been announced in the past but has not yet happened.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using SQL Server for thirteen to fourteen years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SQL is a highly unstable server - there are patch updates on the Windows server every week, which is why we only use it for non-critical systems. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very easy - much, much easier than Oracle - and took about a day to complete. Microsoft is less demanding because everything is GUI, unlike Oracle, where you need to use command lines.

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

This is a very cheap product.

What other advice do I have?

SQL's performance is good enough if you have a low amount of data. For those looking into implementing SQL Server, I would advise first analyzing your requirements and whether your system is critical or non-critical. If it is non-critical, go for SQL as it will save you in terms of cost, but if it is critical, avoid SQL as it will bring you down in one day. I would rate this solution as eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Karol Bura - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a printing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Apr 6, 2022
Has good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "We're satisfied with the stability."
  • "We pay a license fee, it could always be cheaper."

What is our primary use case?

This is the main database for our financial system. I'm the IT manager and we are customers of SQL server. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using this solution for many years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We're satisfied with the stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have around 100 users. The database isn't used directly, so users are not even aware that there is a SQL Server underneath. 

How are customer service and support?

There are some local companies that have direct relations with Microsoft. We use them regularly when we need some support.

How was the initial setup?

I don't recall, it's been many years since we implemented this product. 

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

We pay a license fee, it could always be cheaper.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend this solution and rate it 10 out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
MakhosonkeMatshoba - PeerSpot reviewer
ESM Specialist at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Apr 4, 2022
Synchronization of nodes is very useful and there is no downtime for maintenance needs
Pros and Cons
  • "It's great that the nodes are synchronized so if you lose one it automatically moves to another."
  • "Could have additional security."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to store our data and for running queries, simple select queries that enable me to create the views I need and report from those views. I'm an ESM specialist and we are customers of SQL Server. 

What is most valuable?

I like the stability of the solution, the fact that you have two, three, four nodes replicating at any given time at different locations, and they're all synchronized; if one is lost it automatically moves to another. The other advantage here is that when it comes to application maintenance, you switch onto another node while you maintain another server and there's no downtime. 

What needs improvement?

The solution could have additional security. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is easily scalable because of its flexibility.

How was the initial setup?

I don't do the installation, but it appears straightforward according to those who carried out the implementation. These days deployment takes about an hour. We have 1,200 or so users. With the onboarding of more customers, we'll be increasing our use of SQL Server. For now, we have one person dealing with maintenance. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution nine out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
Craig Kona - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Information Officer at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5
Mar 26, 2022
High performance, setup straightforward, but priced high
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of SQL Server is the performance."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use SQL Server for developing systems.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable feature of SQL Server is the performance.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using SQL Server for years.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have approximately three people who are using this solution.

    How are customer service and support?

    The technical support from Microsoft has been good.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup of SQL Server is straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    We have two administrators that did the implementation of the solution.

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

    The price of SQL Server could be reduced, the license is expensive. We have an annual subscription.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend SQL Server to others.

    I rate SQL Server a seven out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: January 2026
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.