SQL Server – Upgrading from 2008 R2 to 2012

performancesql serverupgrade

I am planning to upgrade my SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition to SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition.

I had been through many blogs on advantages of 2012 but I didn't find any performance comparison of both the versions.

Are there any performance variations between the two versions?

What impact (if any) will 2008R2 and 2012 have on ability to service larger loads of data?

Best Answer

Benchmarks aren't done as frequently as before, at least not publicly. This is true across the industry, not just SQL Server.

Internally, performance improvements are always pursued for each major release, though it may target some specific areas or something broader. One area that still gets somewhat regular updates are TPC-H benchmarks. Check out the TPC website and filter on SQL Server.

That said, you really should get your customer to reconsider their business preference on "upgrading" to SQL Server 2012. Mainstream support for 2012 SP3 ends in July 2017. See the Microsoft product support lifecycle search page for details.

That means they're investing in the upgrade for a product that is out of mainstream support within a year. The business might think it's ok, but make sure they understand the impact. Definitions of mainstream and extended support are documented in the Microsoft Business, Developer and Desktop Operating Systems Policy.

Fixes aside, some industries have specific requirements about only using products that are still in mainstream support so make sure your client is not affected there.

Try to get them on 2016 or at least 2014. You'd be doing your client a huge service.

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Sql-server – Upgrading to SQL Server 2008 R2 but downgrading the edition – will this cause problems

Very few SQL language features are different between editions.

Some language constructs (CREATE PARTITION for example and related) are additional (as opposed to different) and won't work because these are Enterprise features.

However, for day to day code, nothing special, things are almost identical.

The only thing I can recall that is different is how indexed views are used

SQL Server Upgrade – Moving from SQL Server 2008 to 2012

Turning my comments to answer :

SSMS is just a tool to connect to SQL Server.

You did an inplace upgrade, but were connecting to SQL Server 2012 using SSMS 2008R2 and SSMS 2012.

Using T-SQL - will give you the correct version:

SELECT
   SERVERPROPERTY ('MachineName') AS PhysicalMachineName,
   SERVERPROPERTY ('ServerName') AS SQLServerName,
   SERVERPROPERTY ('Edition') AS ServerEdition,
   CAST(SUBSTRING(@@Version,charindex('SQL',@@version, 1),15) AS VARCHAR(255)) +  ' + ' 
       + CAST (SERVERPROPERTY ('productlevel')AS VARCHAR (50)) + ' + (Build'
       + CAST (SERVERPROPERTY ('ProductVersion') AS VARCHAR (50)) +')' AS ProductVersion,
    RIGHT(@@version, (Len(@@Version)-charindex('Windows',@@version, 1))+1) AS [O.S.],
 SERVERPROPERTY ('Collation') AS Collation

Best practice:

Before upgrade - run the above script to get the version and after upgrade, run it to make sure that you are on correct right version.
Always use the latest version of SSMS (regardless of SQL Server version).

Best Answer

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Sql-server – Upgrading to SQL Server 2008 R2 but downgrading the edition – will this cause problems

SQL Server Upgrade – Moving from SQL Server 2008 to 2012

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