SQL Server Patching with the introduction and adoption of Always On has changed. The traditional method by waiting for Service Packs is not really the recommended patching cycle anymore. The cumulative updates are much more important to Always On, so keeping up with the cumulative updates is very important.
It is not a best practice to patch SQL Server without evaluating the patch and the fixes in each update. The environments I support are typically behind 2 or 3 cumulative updates, and I do not patch every cumulative update available. I determine a good patch candidate by listing out bugs and issues I have encounter and if they are fixed in an update. If there is a fix for a problem I have encountered I will patch that update.
My go-to site to find patches is http://sqlserverbuilds.blogspot.com/
Happy Patching!
PS…..Working on some automation that I will share in regards to patching!
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