MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft is sending a reminder out to enterprises running the SQL Server 2005 database management system that the end of its support cycle is coming in less than a week.

In a press statement, Microsoft reminded users that this had been announced long in advance. SQL Server 2005 has been on extended support since April 2011.

The lack of support means there will be no further security updates for SQL Server 2005, increasing the likelihood of added costs to maintain legacy servers against interruptions and intrusions.

The end of support also increases the likelihood of compliance issues when it comes to meeting regulatory standards.

Microsoft strongly suggests upgrading to SQL Server 2016 as soon as possible. A preview is available at the SQL Server 2016 webpage, and businesses can talk to Microsoft personnel about getting an upgrade that suits their needs by emailing enterpriseph@microsoft.com. – Rappler.com