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Computer engineering student at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Stable with good technical support and integrates well with Visual Studio
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable aspect of the solution is that it's integrated with the Visual Studio and also with Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. It's a tool they have and it's quite easy to use and understand. It's the interface for programming for SQL Services."
  • "The solution could be better integrated with the SQL Server Studio tool."

What is our primary use case?

I primarily use the solution for the development of various applications, database connections, that I need for projects.

I just use it myself, for assignments. I am a student and am studying the product.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable aspect of the solution is that it's integrated with the Visual Studio and also with Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. It's a tool they have and it's quite easy to use and understand. It's the interface for programming for SQL Services.

The solution is very stable.

The solution scales well.

The initial setup is straightforward. 

What needs improvement?

I don't have a deep technical knowledge of the solution. It's hard to discuss features that may be lacking.

The solution could be better integrated with the SQL Server Studio tool.

There are some complexities with the initial setup sometimes as there are a lot of options.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for two years at this point.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable in terms of performance.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can scale. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so.

As a student, I don't yet have plans to increase usage of the product.

How are customer service and support?

I've been in touch with technical support. I contact them to assist with a bug that I detected, that was not really related to SQL Server. It was, however, related to another tool, the Microsoft SQL Server Studio. They responded quickly. I was quite satisfied with their level of support for the most part.

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

I've also worked with PostgreSQL, and MySQL as well as MongoDB. I found that, in comparison, PostgreSQL was not as easy to use.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was pretty straightforward. It's very similar to other software products. The Visual Studio is easier, however, it's still mostly straightforward. It could be better integrated with this SQL Server Studio tool. You have to install it separately. If they could be installed together, that would be an improvement in my opinion. While not everyone would use it, the developer would find it a helpful item to have.

It can sometimes be confusing to install by yourself since it does have many options that you need to decide on.

What about the implementation team?

I was able to install the solution myself. I did not need the assistance of an integrator or consultant.

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

You do need to pay for a license in order to use the product.

What other advice do I have?

I'm just an end-user.

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. I'm mostly happy with its capabilities.

I'd recommend the solution to other users. It's a solution that is nice and standardized. We are learning all about it at school and its industry standards make it a good option.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Data Architect at ACPAS Loan Management Software
Real User
Stable with good time zone features and easily scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "If you need to, you can scale the solution very easily."
  • "The solution is rather expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for non-management processes.

What is most valuable?

The product is very good at centralizing information.

The solution has very good features related to timezones.

The product is quite stable.

If you need to, you can scale the solution very easily.

What needs improvement?

The solution has legacy issues when it comes to compatibility. If you have older technology, you may run into compatibility problems with SQL.

The solution is rather expensive.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for over a decade. It's been a long time. At this point, it's been about 12 years or so.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is excellent. We don't run into any issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's fairly reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution scales well. if a company needs to expand its SQL server, it's not a problem to do so.

We do plan to continue to use it going forward. I'm unsure as to if we have plans to scale it, however.

How are customer service and technical support?

I don't have too much information on technical support, however, it's my understanding that if you need it, it is available.

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

We did not previously use a different solution. We've only ever really used SQL.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't too complex. It's pretty straightforward, especially if you are setting up the cloud. It's very easy to provision. It requires fairly typical knowledge. If you are familiar with Windows software, you'll find that there isn't much of a challenge to the setup. I'd say it's not overly technical.

Deployment is fast. You can have it up and running in an hour or sometimes less.

You need about two people to handle the deployment of the solution.

What about the implementation team?

I handled the implementation myself. It's pretty easy, and not too technical, and therefore I didn't need the assistance of any consultants or integrators.

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

You do need to pay for licensing in order to use the solution. It is a little bit expensive, however, it's not the most expensive option on the market. It's cheaper than the competition, however, as I mentioned, it's still pretty pricey.

What other advice do I have?

We're just a customer. We don't have a business relationship with the client.

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

We use both cloud and on-premises deployment models.

I'd recommend this product to other organizations.

Overall, we've had a positive experience with the solution. I would rate it at an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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.
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reviewer1470330 - PeerSpot reviewer
Analytics Manager - Data and Capability at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Scalable as a cloud, good as a data warehouse, and offers good analytics
Pros and Cons
  • "As a data warehouse and storage solution, it's quite good."
  • "The solution could use better governance on the management side, especially around data governance."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for many tasks. We use it as a data warehouse. However, we also use it for workflows and processing jobs.

What is most valuable?

The analytics are pretty good.

As a data warehouse and storage solution, it's quite good.

It's easy to put the data back onto the SQL Server or Oracle. 

The solution is pretty fast. We find it to be responsive.

There are a lot of services, such as the SSISS, SIS, and SSI's that work quite well.

What needs improvement?

The solution could use better governance on the management side, especially around data governance.

The product could do better at allowing for integrations. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with the solution for many years. It's likely ten to 15 years at this point. It's well over a decade, so I have some long-term experience with the product overall.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability for the solution is good, at least where it concerns the cloud. Using the cloud makes everything very easy to scale. On-remises, if you run out of dick space, it's a bit difficult.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've been in touch with technical support in the past. We manage the data center ourselves, however, if we run into issues we know we can contact them for assistance. I'd say we are quite satisfied with the level of support we get.

How was the initial setup?

I can't recall how the initial setup was. It was a while ago. We've had the solution for a very long time.

What other advice do I have?

We're just customers and end-users.

I don't know if I would recommend the solution per se. There are other options out there. Something that is a NoSQL database. Something like Snowflake, for example, might be a very good option for data warehousing. They are more adept at handling different types of data.

You shouldn't have to create tables or systems, you should just be able to query files.

I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. However, for the current scenarios we have, there are other options that may be more suitable. It's not the only product available on the market, and the competition is quite good.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1037115 - PeerSpot reviewer
senior system integrator at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Easy to expand and a nice backend server, but requires active-active options
Pros and Cons
  • "We have found the solution to be scalable."
  • "There are a few use cases where we do need the Active-Active options instead of Active-Passive, yet those kinds of options are not available for Microsoft."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution as a backend server.

There are a few applications of the Oracle product for our data sitting on the SQL Server as well. 

What is most valuable?

It's useful as a backend server.

We have found the solution to be scalable. 

What needs improvement?

The stability of the product needs to be improved. It's really not stable enough.

In Microsoft, the Active-Active options are not available. There are a lot of requirements that are coming right from the customer, which may not be provided by Microsoft. There are a few use cases where we do need the Active-Active options instead of Active-Passive, yet those kinds of options are not available for Microsoft.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been working with the solution for going on five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've struggled with the stability of the product. We'd like for it to be more stable and reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good. If a company needs to expand, it can do so.

What other advice do I have?

We are a customer and an end-user.

I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten. While the scalability is there, the solution is lacking a few aspects that customers really need.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
PeerSpot user
reviewer1703928 - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Solutions Architect at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Good Support, and easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "SQL Server scales well."
  • "While this is a reliable product, it has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use SQL Server as a database management system for all of our projects.

What needs improvement?

While this is a reliable product, it has room for improvement.

Although Microsoft SQL was accessible in some projects, we did not use it everywhere. It is determined by the project. It's quite beneficial in some circumstances, but it couldn't support SQL databases in others, consequently, we used other suppliers like Oracle, Informix DB, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and others.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using SQL Server for quite some time now.

We use it both on-premises and in the cloud. It is dependent on the projects.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SQL Server is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SQL Server scales well.

In the future, we may expand our usage.

How are customer service and support?

I don't have any issues with the technical support.

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

We evaluated each product after using it, starting with Informix DB and ending with Oracle.

Oracle, Informix DB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL are among the products we use.

How was the initial setup?

It's quite easy to install.

Completing the installation is not an issue.

What about the implementation team?

My position is not related to installation, but if it is necessary, I am capable of doing it.

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

It requires the purchase of a license. Our company's products all have licenses.

What other advice do I have?

It is appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I would rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer909060 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Developer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Performs well for our use case
Pros and Cons
  • "SQL Server's performance is fine."
  • "SQL Server could integrate better with other platforms."

What is our primary use case?

It's a normal DMS, so it can be used everywhere you want to use any RDBMS or relational database. It's for normal transactions.

What needs improvement?

SQL Server could integrate better with other platforms.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using SQL Server for the last six months. Earlier we used DB2, but now we use this one.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SQL Server's performance is fine.

How are customer service and support?

Microsoft support is fine.

How was the initial setup?

We don't deal with the setup because we are developers. The system or admin team does all those things. So I don't have any idea.

What other advice do I have?

I rate SQL Server eight out of 10. We haven't had any issues, but it depends on the use case. So I would recommend it depending on your use case.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1613988 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Real User
Easy to manage with good stability and knowledgable technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to set up."
  • "The configuration process can be a little complex."

What is most valuable?

We find the Microsoft SQL Server affordable compared to its real competitors. 

We find it easy to manage. 

It offers a very robust infrastructure for us.

The solution is easy to set up.

We have found the stability to be good.

We've had a good experience with technical support. They are helpful.

What needs improvement?

We may use different levels of SQL Server when it comes to licensing. We have some Enterprise and some Standard services. They can improve the recovery processes of the replication or disaster recovery scenarios for the lower-tiered version, such as the Standard server.

While we have many options in Enterprise, it's expensive for most companies.

The configuration process can be a little complex. 

Technical support can take a while to respond in Turkey.

The solution may be better with some integration with some factory cloud software. With the standard version, the lodgement process is never enough. We are replicating near real-time to make recovery easy and to make all the RPO targets as expected. 

You cannot recover SQL Servers, especially for big financial companies like ours. It's not easy to erect SQL Servers on any other site, and with an acceptable data loss in the foundations.

For how long have I used the solution?

Personally, I have used the solution for about 15 years at this point. It's well over a decade. I've used it for a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been great. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. it's reliable. 

How are customer service and technical support?

The Microsoft team never responds fast in Turkey. I cannot say they are fast. Unless you have some Enterprise agreement, they're not quick. However, I find that when I deal with the same technician a few times, they are quite good and very helpful. They are very capable. They know what they are talking about. 

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

We also use Oracle Servers. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial implementation is easy and straightforward. It's not overly complex or difficult to set up.

However, it's not just the server we have to set up. We have a cluster environment. Mostly it's just, click, click, click and you are done, however, the configuration process is a bit more difficult. Adjusting performance levels, in particular, can be a real challenge.

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

The enterprise version of the solution is very expensive and most companies would likely find that they wouldn't be able to afford it. 

What other advice do I have?

We're a customer and an end-user.

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been very happy with its capabilities. 

I would recommend the solution, however, it will only be effective if the company hires an effective administrator. While there are default settings, you will likely need to configure quite a bit and connect most of your hardware in the correct way. To be effective, it really needs to be tuned by a professional. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1621938 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior BI Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Consultant
Overall high quality features, reliable, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found the whole solution with all its features wonderful."
  • "If this solution could provide an automatic indexing feature it would be very useful."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for SQL Server is data warehousing and business intelligence.

How has it helped my organization?

This solution acts as the backbone of most IT services. It is essential for us to use it.

What is most valuable?

I have found the whole solution with all its features wonderful.

What needs improvement?

If this solution could provide an automatic indexing feature it would be very useful.

In the next release, there could be better integration with Power BI or other tools.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for approximately 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. There has been a few bugs but all solutions have them at one time or another.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There are scalability limitations and this is why we are evaluating cloud alternatives. 

I rate the scalability of SQL Server a four out of five.

How are customer service and technical support?

We provide support for our clients but if we need support we receive it quickly because we are prime customers.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We are currently evaluating cloud options.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise those wanting to implement this solution to thoroughly investigate if this is the right tool for their use case.

I rate SQL Server an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
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