Its speed and the ease of server management are valuable. If I compare Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL, what I like in Microsoft SQL Server is the speed. We are using Microsoft Management Studio for managing our Microsoft SQL Server, and the user interface that I get to work with is also better.
Project manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
A good choice in terms of price and quality, good speed, and good user interface
Pros and Cons
- "Its speed and the ease of server management are valuable. If I compare Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL, what I like in Microsoft SQL Server is the speed. We are using Microsoft Management Studio for managing our Microsoft SQL Server, and the user interface that I get to work with is also better."
- "There should be more tools and documentation for tuning the performance of Microsoft SQL Server. It would be nice to have more tools for tuning because currently, all the tuning that we have to do with our databases is almost manual. We have to read a bunch of knowledge base articles, and this information should be better documented. Its free text search should also be improved. It is quite important for us. Currently, we're developing our own free text search because of the lacking flexibility in Microsoft SQL Server. Therefore, we're kind of using elastic search and making different implementations in order to reach our targets. Using just the native free text search of Microsoft SQL Server is not enough for us. It should have more flexible features as compared to the current version."
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
There should be more tools and documentation for tuning the performance of Microsoft SQL Server. It would be nice to have more tools for tuning because currently, all the tuning that we have to do with our databases is almost manual. We have to read a bunch of knowledge base articles, and this information should be better documented.
Its free text search should also be improved. It is quite important for us. Currently, we're developing our own free text search because of the lacking flexibility in Microsoft SQL Server. Therefore, we're kind of using elastic search and making different implementations in order to reach our targets. Using just the native free text search of Microsoft SQL Server is not enough for us. It should have more flexible features as compared to the current version.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than 15 years. Our clients are using its multiple versions, starting from SQL Server 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In general, it is scalable, but we are only using the single-server mode. We are not using any kind of clustering. Therefore, I cannot say anything from my personal experience about the scalability of Microsoft SQL Server.
How are customer service and support?
I do not have any experience with Microsoft support. We either use in-house knowledge professionals or third-parties for consulting services.
How was the initial setup?
Its initial setup is quite straightforward. A major upgrade is a bit more complicated. We had some issues with the upgrade.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is a good choice in terms of price and quality.
I would rate Microsoft SQL Server an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner

Management Trainee for Training at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
It solved really complex situations
What is most valuable?
- Net integration is best for me
- Better optimizer
- Ease of use (admin tools)
How has it helped my organization?
We used this to solve many complex problems.
What needs improvement?
Overall, trying to make over with Oracle, it can be improved in usage for high data migration companies of large scale.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience using both the versions of SQL Server 2008, 2012 for more than two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Never had issues with stability, may be we were handling structured data well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No, federal vs clusters approach explains you well that you can search for them.
How is customer service and technical support?
Technical support rating would be around a seven and a half out of 10.
How was the initial setup?
Setup is easy as what we want the database to do for our problems, compared to Oracle latest versions you need to spend more time on the initial setting up where these cannot go wrong with partitioning and indexing and it needs to be perfect.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Go for SQL and compare it with pricing and stability with other Microsoft products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Definitely yes, with Oracle only if the needed situations cannot be met, mostly it covers better.
What other advice do I have?
Best practices are the always a better choice for implementing the solution, hire a good expert and consult a better person with huge experience in architecting database systems for decades.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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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.
842,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Pre-Sales/System Architect at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Provides many ways to help us organize data and process information.
What is most valuable?
The Microsoft SQL Server is a great and powerful data storage capable to provide many functionalities starts on free version until the power with BI resource and mirroring.
How has it helped my organization?
MS SQL is a recognized data tool, it provides many ways to help us organize data and process information.
What needs improvement?
MS SQL need to improve the big data functions and also own market share.
For how long have I used the solution?
since 1999
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
few problems
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
no
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
i didn't use it like admin, i don't know.
How are customer service and technical support?
great product
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Oracle, some times i used others solutions, but working by compatibility.
How was the initial setup?
easy.
What was our ROI?
never calculate.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
according you need
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Modern Data Center and Cloud Engineer II at IE Network Solutions PLC
Easy to use, scalable, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to use."
- "The performance could improve."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for managing our database functions.
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The performance could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found SQL Server stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found it to be scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is good from Microsoft. We have four people that do the maintenance of the solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward, it took approximately one hour.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license required for this solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate SQL Server 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.
IT Specialist at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
A relational database management system that's relatively stable
Pros and Cons
- "I like that it's relatively stable."
- "It would be better if it had more integration with other systems."
What is our primary use case?
We use SQL Server for collecting and storing our data.
What is most valuable?
I like that it's relatively stable.
What needs improvement?
It would be better if it had more integration with other systems.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for over five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think it's scalable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's relatively stable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. When I have a problem, they're responsive.
How was the initial setup?
I've tried to do the initial setup, and I don't think it's that easy. But I think the configuration is normal.
What about the implementation team?
I set up and deployed this solution myself.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this product to new users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give SQL Server an eight.
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.
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Stable, user-friendly interface, and good community support
Pros and Cons
- "The interface is user friendly."
- "Better integration with other platforms would be an improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use SQL Server to store, retrieve, and manage data.
What is most valuable?
This product works well, serving as our operational database.
The interface is user friendly.
What needs improvement?
Better integration with other platforms would be an improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SQL Server for almost two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have had no issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable product. It is being used in three or four projects with a total of between 50 and 100 people.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not been in contact with technical support for this project, but we use the Microsoft communities to get answers to questions that we have. For example, we have checked the settings to make sure that we are safe.
Overall, the support is pretty good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is definitely straightforward and can be completed within a couple of minutes.
What about the implementation team?
The installation and initial setup were completed by our admin team. However, there are some drivers and additional components that I installed myself.
What other advice do I have?
We always like to work with the best products, we are happy with SQL Server, and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution 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.
Member of the Board & Co-Founder, Executive Manager at Networld Systems
Good replication and helps to reduce costs
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is replication because we had several replicas of the SQL Server database in different geographical locations."
- "I would like to have more replication scenarios."
What is our primary use case?
We have a Windows Server environment.
This is a production system for secure document issuing in a government department.
How has it helped my organization?
It helped reduce licensing costs and also running costs, as well as the learning curve.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is replication because we had several replicas of the SQL Server database in different geographical locations.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have more replication scenarios.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for twenty years.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Infrastructure Analyst / Engineer (24x7) at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
The user interface can be improved but its always been reliable and consistent, providing tremendous functionality.
What is most valuable?
- Reliability
- Ease of use
- Extensive Knowledge Base to improve and maintain the product
How has it helped my organization?
The majority of the software frameworks utilised by companies I have supported use SQL Server by Microsoft as the application's database management system. It always been reliable and consistent providing tremendous functionality for many years.
What needs improvement?
The user interface can be improved through the adoption of the intuitive interaction design of the MS Office 2013 applications.
For how long have I used the solution?
5 years
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used MongoDB before the stability of innovative products still remains questionable in both theory and practice.
What was our ROI?
100%.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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