October 7, 2019 at 7:20 pm
I have an old server, running 2008 R2. Since it just went out of support, I would like to bump up to the newest version possible. This site does not yet have a 2019 forum (hint, Steve), so I'll try here.
The OS is Windows Server Standard, SP2, copyright 2007, no version number. The hardware is an Intel Xeon E5430, with 6GB of RAM. Will SQL Server 2019 (or 2017) run on this? Do I need to upgrade the OS? What sort of hardware would a newer OS need?
I tried looking through the hardware and software requirements on Microsoft Docs, but couldn't make much sense of it. New server installations are (obviously) not something I do regularly. I do not need the features of the newer versions - it's just the support issue, so possibly 2012 or 2014 might be a better choice.
I have no idea how long this setup will continue to be in operation. Management is considering a migration to completely different setup, with a commercial database application - this machine is running an app I wrote, by myself, over ten years ago, and am still supporting. However, they have been considering such a move for going on twenty years now, and haven't actually done jack, except squander hundreds of thousands on studies and pilot projects. There is another such study running right now, already far behind schedule, with completely unrealistic expectations - at one point, they were considering writing their own DATABASE ENGINE, in house, although there is not one person in the institution who has the skills to even hold the beers for programmers and analysts at that level.
Anyway, I need to keep this running, one way or another. Any thoughts? Or am I best off just continuing with 2008 R2? That would actually be my preference, if I can't upgrade the entire ecosystem, but I am concerned about security running a DB that is no longer supported.
October 7, 2019 at 7:42 pm
Sounds like you are running on Windows 2008 OS based on the information provided. If you are looking for SQL 2016/2017, you might want to consider spinning up a machine with Windows 2016 OS or at least 2012 R2 and migrate over to new home. BTW, how are you planning to upgrade SQL? An In-place upgrade or side by side?
October 7, 2019 at 8:04 pm
I also think it's 2008, although it doesn't say that in the properties window. But that's when the machine is from.
That is one of the things I am wondering, if I need a newer OS, if I can even run SS 2019 on this hardware, how much newer OS will still work on this old machine, and so on.
I haven't gotten as far as the mechanics of the upgrade yet, since I'm not even sure if it's possible. There is no problem with taking the database offline for an extended period of time, if that is a factor.
October 7, 2019 at 8:33 pm
Do a "winver" or "msinfo32" from run for exact information on OS version. Nope, this hardware is not going to play well with latest versions of OS and SQL. Intel Xeon E5430 got released back in 2007 Q4 which is discontinued and considered as legacy at this point. I would recommend looking into building a new server (Is VM an option for you?) and migrating databases if moving away from 2008 is absolutely necessary.
October 7, 2019 at 9:09 pm
Operacní systém Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 Standard
Verze 6.0.6003 Service Pack 2 Sestavení 6003
Další popis systému Není k dispozici
Výrobce systému Microsoft Corporation
Název systému PALEO-SERVER
Výrobce systému HP
Model systému ProLiant ML350 G5
Typ systému x64-based PC
Procesor Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5430 @ 2.66GHz, 2666 Mhz, jádra: 4, logické procesory: 4
Verze systém BIOS/Datum HP D21, 2.11.2008
Verze SMBIOS 2.4
Adresár systému Windows C:\Windows
Systémový adresár C:\Windows\system32
Spouštecí zarízení \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Národní prostredí Ceská republika
Hardware Abstraction Layer Verze = "6.0.6003.20623"
Uživatelské jméno NMP\DanesPe
Casové pásmo Strední Evropa (letní cas)
Nainstalovaná fyzická pamet (RAM) 6,00 GB
Celková fyzická pamet 6,00 GB
Volná fyzická pamet 4,45 GB
Celková virtuální pamet 12,1 GB
Volná virtuální pamet 10,5 GB
Prostor stránkovacího souboru 6,31 GB
Stránkovací soubor C:\pagefile.sys
VM is currently not an option. All of the institution's big servers are in another building across town, and the connectivity is not great. It's fine for normal things, but but not fast enough for a database connection. It would work, but I would be nonstop listening to complaints about speed.
I'm not convinced that moving away from 2008 is, in fact, necessary. One of the reasons for this post is to gather some opinions on that. The server is pretty well hidden inside our network - connections to the outside are TeamViewer and a VPN, and only I use them. There is nothing else exposed to the outside world, and nothing runs on it except SQL Server and an FTP server - FileZilla. I am perfectly happy with 2008 R2 for normal use - I am just concerned with the support issue, and I'm not certain that it even is an issue. Is it, in an environment like this? Can I do something more to secure it, and just stay put?
October 10, 2019 at 3:38 pm
Dear Friend,
Brother, SQL Server 2008, was a commercial database application, today without MS support. Some points that you mention, are interesting.
If you are the only user with access, and you are sure, I believe that you could, close the door and keep the keys.
In computer technology obsolence is always, just at the corner, perhaps you should try to move to a SQL Server Developer Edition Environment 2016, 2017, and try to test your migration options at your own pace, positive things and negative things will surge, that you should live on, having no support, is a risk that you should always have in mind, besides you will always have this forums to find a possible solution to problems, but you will never be updated. Today, there are still SQL Server 2000 applications that are running, but is a road with no end, as a teacher says, the only secure computer system is that one that is disassembled and buried under 3 feets.
Perhaps, is needed to see this situation from other perspective, not only the out of support issue.
Good luck
October 10, 2019 at 6:04 pm
Thank you for the thoughts. I am not the only user - if I was, I would just leave it. I am the only developer/DBA. The system has around ten users, and it is a mission-critical database for the department. I wrote and maintain the only application that accesses the database. The server is locked down so that nobody can log into it except me. The only access to the system for others is an ODBC link for my application, and a few folders exposed via FileZilla. It's pretty well protected from outside attacks, the users would cutting their own throats if they tried to cause damage to anything, and I have frequent multiple backups, online and offline, which I test-restore regularly.
I am not worried about losing data, but I am concerned that security holes may crop up in the future, and with MS not patching them any more, it may be exposed to attacks that I cannot even imagine today. I suppose I can just lay low and see if problems surface, but I would like to at least know what my path forward would be if it turns out that I do have to upgrade.
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