What you get
- Extended Security Updates (ESU) for SQL Server 2012 Standard — 2-core pack, 1st-year ESU coverage.
- Licensed per core in 2-core packs; per Microsoft, virtual machines are licensed by virtual cores with a 4-core minimum per VM, and physical installs by physical cores.
Before you buy
Per Microsoft, SQL Server 2012 ESUs are no longer available — the final (Year 3) ESU period ended July 8, 2025, and customers must upgrade. This SKU's coverage period (July 2022–July 2023) has long passed. Per Microsoft's ESU FAQ, ESUs deliver only security updates rated Critical by the Microsoft Security Response Center — no new features, non-security fixes or general support for the SQL Server version itself — and the server must be on the latest service pack to apply them. Only Enterprise and Standard editions qualify (not Express, Web or Developer). Software Assurance (or subscription licenses) on the covered SQL Server licenses is a prerequisite; customers without it can get ESUs instead through Azure Arc pay-as-you-go or by moving the workload to Azure.
