Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
Dimitris Iracleous - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Technical Instructor at Code.Hub
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A user-friendly, reliable solution for organizing data from subscribers and customers
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is user-friendly, is a robust tool and is always reliable to users."
  • "The interface integration could be better."

What is our primary use case?

We are a company that possesses data relating to the banking and telecommunications sectors. We use the solution to organize all data received from subscribers and customers. 

What is most valuable?

I feel that this is the simplest of solutions. It is user-friendly, is a robust tool and is always reliable to users. The solution is within the Windows environment. This means that all users, who are already accustomed to Windows, will naturally prefer to use this environment over that of Linux or another operating system. 

What needs improvement?

I would like to have a more directed modeling, to have the flexibility to design all databases using a graphic interface. In other words, the interface integration could be better. 

To avoid the need to write code, many users like to use the database diagrams as an overall tool and, as such, the solution should be more flexible and user-friendly. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been actively using SQL Server for up to 10 years. I started with programming, moved to databases and am now concentrating on Power BI.

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.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is quite scalable, as it can be extended to replicate many computers. It can be used in a virtual environment. One would, of course, make use of the cloud. We are now gaining experience in cloud programs such as Azure and AWS.

How are customer service and support?

There are two teams which provide technical support. The same team provides support for all these tasks. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not without certain problems. Many users prefer to use Docker in lieu of the original selection. This is more convenient for them owing to certain configurations it possesses. However, if one is incapable of doing this initially he will find it difficult to do at a later date. An example would involve the inclusion of TCP/IP support, which is quite cumbersome. While it is not very difficult, it does require a certain amount of expertise. 

We have prepared many virtual machines. Each month we prepare these systems so that they may be ready to meet our needs. This task consumes three to four days per month. 

What about the implementation team?

We have a support team who helps our users with deployment. They provide these services to our customers.

When it comes to deployment and maintenance, there are four people responsible for providing the administrative support to us and to our customers.

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

Our customers do pay license fees for the MS SQL Server but the Rabbit is free, as it is open-source software.

Some who pay for these prefer in-house, on-premises support, while others take a cloud-based approach. 

What other advice do I have?

I am also a consultant to SQL Server.

I usually consult with databases, including the Power BI. I started with data business and now shifted to this.

I strongly recommend the solution because we are doing consulting projects using Java applications.

I rate SQL Server as a nine 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
Ali Yazıcı - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Service Manager at Kuveyt Turk Participation Bank
Real User
Easy to set up, very stable, and quite scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has proven to be very stable."
  • "The solution could offer more integration with other platforms."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for our banking database.

What is most valuable?

Overall, it's a very good device.

The solution has proven to be very stable.

The scalability potential is very high.

The initial setup is very straightforward and the deployment happens very quickly.

What needs improvement?

The solution could offer more integration with other platforms.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for about ten years or so. It's been about a decade. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is very stable, from my experience. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. I've used it for ten years with very few issues. The performance and reliability are very good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can scale quite well. If your company needs to expand it, it can do so pretty easily. It's not hard.

We currently have 5,000 users on the solution.

We do plan to increase usage in the future.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've dealt with Microsoft technical support in the past and we were very satisfied with the level of service provided to us. They are knowledgeable and responsive. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. I wouldn't describe it as difficult or complex. It's actually very simple. A company shouldn't have too much trouble with the implementation.

The deployment was fast and barely took two days.

We have five people on staff who can handle the deployment and maintenance for us. They are administrators and engineers.

What about the implementation team?

We had a consultant that assisted us with the implementation. They were very helpful and made the implementation very simple.

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

We pay a yearly license to Microsoft. I can't speak of the exact cost, however.

What other advice do I have?

We're likely using the latest version of the solution.

I'd rate the product at a nine out of ten. We have been very satisfied with its capabilities over the last decade.

I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.

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
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.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Irad Dukad - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at Ducart
Real User
Top 10
Scalable, stable and easy to use for a host of applications
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution can be used for a host of applications."
  • "The maintenance and tasks should be improved so as to reduce database files."

What is our primary use case?

The solution can be used for a host of applications.

What needs improvement?

The maintenance and tasks should be improved so as to reduce database files.

The complexity of the database should also be reduced, so that its size can be diminished. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SQL Server for around ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution from the 2008 version is stable. I like the defined database and the ease with which it can be used and that enquiries can be made. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I believe the solution to be scalable and plan to increase our usage. 

How was the initial setup?

Installation is relatively easy, although I do not recall how long it took. 

What about the implementation team?

We made use of an integrator.

There is not much technical team required for the deployment and maintenance. It consists solely of engineers.

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

The licensing is on an annual basis. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Prior to going with SQL Server I utilized the Oracle Database.

What other advice do I have?

There are around 15 people making use of the solution in our organization. Every computer processing unit has its own license. 

I would recommend the solution to other users. 

I rate SQL Server as 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.
PeerSpot user
Global Head ICT (CITP & MIE) at The Aga Khan Academies
Real User
Runs seamlessly, stable and scalable, and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a stable product, and it runs seamlessly. It is not complex."
  • "They have too many licensing options. They may want to simplify its licensing and bring it down to two, three, or four categories from ten to fifteen categories. Having so many different licensing options makes it difficult to decide which one to choose from. They can club things together. This is an area where they can make things easier for customers."

What is our primary use case?

We're using it for our on-premise servers, and we have the latest version of SQL Server.  

We use SQL Server for the database for Microsoft Navision. We also use it for the Track-It application that helps users in logging in their IT requests. We also manage all the IT inventory through Track-It. It does automatic auditing and traces online IT equipment.

How has it helped my organization?

We have end-computing devices with a server-client type of model. We have a server. All terminals are dumb terminals, but they get connectivity from SQL Server, and it has worked really well. We operate in difficult locations, such as Mombasa in Kenya and Mozambique in Maputo, where power is a big problem. Instead of desktop computers, we went for thin end-computing clients, and it worked really well with SQL Server.

What is most valuable?

It is a stable product, and it runs seamlessly. It is not complex.

It has been there for a long time, and they are doing whatever bug fixes they have to do. 

What needs improvement?

They have too many licensing options. They may want to simplify its licensing and bring it down to two, three, or four categories from ten to fifteen categories. Having so many different licensing options makes it difficult to decide which one to choose from. They can club things together. This is an area where they can make things easier for customers.

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?

It is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It has pretty good scalability. In terms of usage, we have two different types of usage. For end-computing usage, we have about 600 or 700 students who use the media labs. For Microsoft Navision and Track-It, we have about 100 staff members as users. 

It is being used fairly extensively. Microsoft Navision is one of the core solutions of our business, and it is used on a daily basis. End computing is used by students. Because of the pandemic, for the last 14 months, everything is closed, and everybody is remote, so end computing has not been used, but Navision continued to be used. After the school reopens in each location, we will continue to use it even more. We definitely have plans for expansion.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their response is fast.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup is very straightforward. In case there is an issue, Microsoft's tech support people come online and help you.

What about the implementation team?

For its deployment and maintenance, two people are required at each location. We have one database specialist and one IT service delivery engineer with networking knowledge.

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

It comes with the bundle package that we have. We have Microsoft Volume Licensing, so we don't have to pay for it separately. It is a part of the package.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend this solution. I have nothing to complain about.

I would rate SQL Server 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.
PeerSpot user
Solutions Architect at One Click
MSP
Knocks ROI out of the park
Pros and Cons
  • "Scalability, cluster ability, ease of use, ease of implementation — these are all great."
  • "In terms of exceptionally large databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle."

What is our primary use case?

SQL Server is enterprise database software. It provides the back end for any number of different applications, including web applications, and other types of internal applications, and software-based applications. It also provides a back end for enterprise backup tools. It's incredibly diverse in terms of its use case.

What is most valuable?

Scalability, cluster ability, ease of use, ease of implementation — these are all great. 

What needs improvement?

In terms of exceptionally large databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle. It scales excellently and it's flexible and it can provide a solution for exceptionally large databases, but it doesn't work as well as Oracle does for this particular use case. The performance starts to drag in the case of exceptionally large databases; especially where there's a lot more feature functionality. With Oracle, there's a lot more tunability.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with this product for 20 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's exceptionally stable. The ease of implementation and the ease of use can't be beaten. I think it's outstanding overall.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability-wise, it's outstanding. The one limitation it has is that at the very, very high end of petabytes-sized databases, it doesn't scale as well as Oracle. Still, you're not going to run into very many exceptionally large databases. Almost 100% of the use cases for it scale very well.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is available for a separate cost. If you don't have a subscription or a support contract, then you don't get support. You'll be stuck with online forums — that's how you'll have to get answers to questions. Assuming you have a support contract with Microsoft, it's outstanding.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. 

What was our ROI?

This solution is available at a much lower price point than Oracle. Plus, it includes 99% of the same feature functionality. I'd say it knocks ROI out of the park.

What other advice do I have?

If you're interested in using this product, make sure that you have a good understanding of best practices for database implementation. Make sure to incorporate them in your deployment right off the bat. You won't want to have to go back and have to take production databases down because you have to change the configuration, post-implementation. Make sure you get all of these things done, pre-production implementation.

They've come a long, long way in the 20 years I've been working with them. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give SQL Server a rating of nine.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1478394 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Manager at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Good for publishing web applications, but security, stability and performance can be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "We have found the feature that allows us to publish web applications to be valuable."
  • "As we have faced problems with the solution in both the past and present, I feel it could be more stable."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for nearly all of the services we provide that utilize Windows Server. We use it to provide continuous service and in respects of our mail server. 

What is most valuable?

We have found the feature that allows us to publish web applications to be valuable. 

We have 20 servers and we use disparate ones for different applications, such as Kaspersky Anti-Virus Server and Windows SharePoint in respects of the surveillance system. 

What needs improvement?

The solution should be more secure and stable and have better performance, particularly as concerns the endpoint operating systems. I would like to have a better operating system that links the CPU and the RAM efficiently.

For the majority of our servers we have not used other operating systems, although there are certain features or requirements that necessitated their use, such as Red Hat. This was rare. Mostly, we used Windows OS. 

As for the performance issue, we have recently encountered situations in which everything would fail in spite of the CPU and memory being 100 percent operable. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using SQL Server for 12 or 13 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

As we have faced problems with the solution in both the past and present, I feel it could be more stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution seems scalable to me. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not had experience with technical support and have handled this independently whenever we encountered problems. 

How was the initial setup?

When it comes to the installation of the operating system, we have found it to be easy and user-friendly. 

Our greatest praise for the solution we reserve for its ease of installation and usage. These provide definite advantages. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that we have always made use of the solution for nearly every relevant company in South Africa.

While I cannot recall exactly how long the installation lasted, I did recently install endpoint Windows 10 Operating System and this took an hour and a half. 

We were able to handle the installation on our own, as we are well versed in this process when it comes to Windows OS.

On an individual basis, we solely make use of Windows OS. There are between 300 and 400 people in our organization who do so. 

Generally speaking, we do not make use of a technical team for deployment and maintenance purposes and do so internally. There are a maximum of seven or eight people in our organization who are responsible for this. We are talking about technical people who are responsible for the direct installation and configuration of Windows OS and they do not include managers. 

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

I believe the licensing to be on an annual basis. In 2019 we purchased a three year license. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other other options before going with the solution. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate SQL Server as a seven out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Information Technology Manager at OrchidaSoft
Real User
Reliable, easy to maintain, easy to develop, and easy to use
Pros and Cons
  • "The performance of SQL Server is perfect."
  • "Security is an area that can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We develop software for another company. We mainly develop on-premises solutions.

We use this solution with our accounting ERP software. Our product is called Orchida ERP and we have many clients in Egypt who are using this software. Its database is SQL Server.

We mainly work in ERP. 

We currently have a small project in SharePoint for Microsoft, but 80% of our work is with Orchida ERP

We have our software with SQL server for 20 years. Our software will not work without SQL Server. 

We provide consultancy in installing this solution for our clients.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to maintain, and it's easy to set up.

It is also easy to develop. Overall, it's easy.

It can work with many different sizes of data, anywhere from 10 to 50 gigs of data.

The performance of SQL Server is perfect. It does not need to be enhanced.

What needs improvement?

If you work with more than 50 gigs of data, it will run slower than Oracle.

Security is an area that can be improved. It could be more secure; more security is needed.

We have some clients who have been exposed to the SQL injection virus. 

We would like SQL to be able to manage this problem or to come up with an alerting system to alert the user that the server has been exposed. This has become more of an issue because of the Corona Virus and people are working from home.

Some have been infected by the SQL injection Virus and will lose their data.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using  SQL Server for 20 years.

Most of our clients work with version 14 and version 19, which is the latest.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SQL Server is scalable. Our clients are medium-sized companies, not large. They don't have professional IT.

We have 20 people in our organization who are using this solution, but we have many clients who are using it. We sell our consultancy service to more than 200 clients every year.

How are customer service and technical support?

If we have any issues, we search Google and the internet to resolve them.

Our company has not used Microsoft Support. 

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

We have tried many versions of Oracle, including Oracle 11, Oracle 12, and the latest version, which is easy to maintain and similar to Microsoft.

Some of our clients are also using Express SQL. It is not good, but also not bad. If you have small amounts of data then it will meet the requirements.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is straightforward. It is easy, you continuously click the next button until you are done.

It takes 20 to 25 minutes to install. There are no issues with the installation, it is very basic.

What about the implementation team?

We did not use an integrator, we have an in-house team to install and implement this solution.

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

Some of our clients purchase the license and others do not; they use Express SQL Server.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

One of our clients is using an SQL Server on Linux. We don't use it but it is a very interesting product. It's a good trend, the Linux environment has become a market share that is growing in Egypt.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.

We can't compare this solution with other databases, as we do not have enough experience with other similar tools. 

Overall, SQL Server is good. I would 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
PeerSpot user
IT Assistant at Hotel 2 Fevrier
Real User
has an efficient configuration but is not sufficiently scalable in size for simultaneous connections
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is time-efficient and can be done independently."
  • "As SQL server could not support the number of connections we desired, we were forced to go with Oracle."

What is our primary use case?

We use SQL Server with Sage products.

It is used by our finance team and also human resources.

What is most valuable?

the database management tool is very easy to use and largely meets expectations

What needs improvement?

As SQL Server could not support the number of connections we desired, we were forced to go with Oracle. This is an area that needs to be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

for 04 Years now 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution could be more stable

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The performance in terms of simultaneous connection must be reviewed.

How are customer service and technical support?

We do not pay for technical support.

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

No

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is time-efficient and can be done independently.

There is no need for developers or managers to deploy and maintain the solution. One or two systems' administrators are sufficient for its deployment.

The deployment is on-premises. We installed the solution on a server and this on the Windows server. The user is provided an application for connecting to it.

What was our ROI?

great

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

The licensing involves a one-time fee.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Oracle as an alternative.

What other advice do I have?

For my part, SQL Server is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, I would give it an eight out of ten.


I would not recommend it for a large company that has to support more than 40 simultaneous bi-directional connections to the database


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
Buyer's Guide
Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2025
Product Categories
Relational Databases Tools
Buyer's Guide
Download our free SQL Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.