1) SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 support ends next week January 12, 2010. You should upgrade to SQL 2005 SP3 or SQL 2008 SP1 immediately.
2) SQL Server 2008 RTM support ends on April 13, 2010. You should make plans to upgrade to SQL Server 2008 SP1 soon.
3) End of support for Windows 2000 Server SP4 on July 13, 2010
Note: SQL Server 2000 SP4 is not supported on Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. Therefore, if you make this jump to the new OS, you must also upgrade SQL Server to either SQL Server 2005 SP3 or SQL Server 2008 SP1.
Here is a summary of actions you should consider:
If you are running SQL Server 2005 SP2, you should upgrade immediately to SQL Server 2005 SP3 or SQL Server 2008 SP1 (Next week January 12, 2010 is the cutoff).
If you are running SQL Server 2008 RTM, you should upgrade to SQL Server 2008 SP1 very soon (before April 2010)
If you are running Windows Server 2000 SP4, you should make plans now to upgrade to Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2 (July 13, 2010 is the cutoff).
Your Windows upgrade choice may also require the need to upgrade SQL Server
What does this “end of support” mean to you?
You cannot call or open a case with CSS for technical support if you are running these versions after the respective dates above. There are only 2 exceptions to this:
-You are contacting CSS to get help with an upgrade to a supported version
-You have a Premier Support Agreement and have purchased something called a Custom Support Agreement (CSA) (contact your Technical Account Manager if you want to consider this option)
Microsoft won’t produce any hotfixes or security updates for these specific versions (Custom Support Agreement customers are the exception)
