Microsoft SQL Server Reviews & Product Details

SQL Server 2017 brings the power of SQL Server to Windows, Linux and Docker containers for the first time ever, enabling developers to build intelligent applications using their preferred language and environment. Experience industry-leading performance, rest assured with innovative security features, transform your business with AI built-in, and deliver insights wherever your users are with mobile BI.

Seller

Microsoft

Discussions

Microsoft SQL Server Community

Languages Supported

German, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified)

Overview by

Microsoft Team

Value at a Glance

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

3 months

Return on Investment

18 months

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Top-Rated Alternatives

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Microsoft SQL Server Integrations

(27)

Integration information sourced from real user reviews.

Microsoft SQL Server Media

SQL Server

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amishler23 M.

Senior Consultant

Information Technology and Services

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

3/19/2017

"Best database management system I've ever used"

5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

It's a powerful database manager, and one of the best ones I've used, if not the best. I'm impressed by how much data the program can typically handle. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Nothing really. It's efficient and easy to use once you know what you're doing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

Get up to speed quickly on how to use it. Once you become an expert everything becomes almost too easy to perform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

I'm performing data migrations for businesses implementing Salesforce.com Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

12/19/2016

"New User - Easy Use"

5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

I dont have a background in IT, but recently moved over to IT to help them with our internal software. Using SSMS, with the help of our developers I have learned to create queries and find the data I am in need of. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Only issue I have come across is the limited export capabilities. Be nice to do PDF as well. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

for a new person to IT, this product makes things very simple to pull data that I might not be able to pull from our CRM Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

in our CRM, the most I can export is 100K lines of data, using SSMS, I can export unlimited as far as I know Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Giorgi D.

Head of Internal Platform Development Unit

Banking

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

9/19/2016

"Powerful Relational Database"

5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

One of the best things about Microsoft SQL Server is that it is very easy to get started with it. Installation is very straightforward and does not require month of planning.

It also has very useful dynamic management views for diagnostic purposes.

Also it will soon run on Linux out of the box making it cross platform Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

It would be better if it came with better JSON support. Also it's a little bit costly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

Microsoft SQL Server is a very powerful product so don't be overwhelmed by it. It can take quite some time until you understand all the details but don't get confused because of it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

Microsoft SQL Server powers lots of databases for our internal products. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

1/26/2017

"With great power, comes great scripting"

4.5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

The sheer power of it. As long as you know what script to use, there is almost nothing you can't do with this application. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Some of the painfully long scripts you have to write. And sometimes, when you hit an error, you have to do some digging to find out exactly what went wrong. If you want to use this efficiently, you must learn the syntax. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

Learn the syntax if you wish to master using this application. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

We use this quite often at my job to solve many different problems. We have a lot of information to go through in a short amount of time and using SQL, we are able to do just that. As I said before, the sheer power of this application is awesome. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Marketing and Advertising

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

10/25/2016

"Microsoft SQL Server is the gold standard"

5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

SQL is the best data repository, query tool out there. I would never trust anything else with my company's data. It is flexible, reliable, and upgradable. Lots of built in features make it easy to find bottle-necks, and optimizations. Easy to learn. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Not always intuitive, and without Red Gate SQL prompt it is a bit cumbersome for complex queries and reports. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

If you can take a risk with your data try something else first, but you will likely end up at SQL anyway. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

We get 8500 data streams per day for analytics. SQL is the ONLY tool that doesn't simply feel like Excel or Access. Being able to take backups and restore them on separate machines, instance, and versions helps tremendously in meeting the needs of the development team and minimizing risks to LIVE data. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

David P.

Software Engineer

Information Technology and Services

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

7/8/2016

"Software Developer using Microsoft SQL Server for 5+ years"

4/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

The best thing about SQL Server is the accompanying Management Studio. MSSQLServer Management Studio makes it incredibley easy to administer user roles and permissions, and easy to create stored procedures and user defined functions. The "New Query" view also provides handle autocomplete suggestions for table names, column names, etc, and also highlights the keywords.

I also like that SQL Server is widely supported and documented. Providing drivers for all environments, i.e. Java, and online documentation for quick reference. The failover support in SQL Server is also great - running databases can easily backup to listening databases, and failover to them when/if required. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

The fact that SQL Server only really excels with the licensed version is disappointing. Comparing the free version of SQL Server (Express) to other free databases like PostgreSQL, is where you might be better going for the latter. Is money is an important factor for your company, you may want to look elsewhere.

Another downfall of the free version of SQL Server is the lack of database space, only 10 GB is available. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Microsoft SQL Server:

If you only need a small database - the SQL Server Express edition will be perfect for you. If you're looking to hold TBs of data, then you will be looking at buying the Standard Edition, which will cost you a fair bit. If money is a consideration, perhaps try PostgreSQL. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Microsoft SQL Server solving and how is that benefiting you?

I'm currently using SQL Server in production as a database to store information on life events, generally querying tables that have 80+ columns. Daily I'm using the Developer Edition of SQL Server, which makes it really easy to quickly set up roles, permissions and databases - which is handy for me creating dev databases on the fly. It's quick and easy to query a database table using the Management Studio, and not too difficult to build complex queries for nightly tasks. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Abigail T.

Research Specialist

Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5/17/2017

"microsoft sql for research "

2.5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

microsoft sql allowed us to run reports quickly Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

microsoft sql can take a lot of time to learn and use effectively Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Computer Software

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

7/11/2017

"SQL SERVER "

3/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

Ease of use

Debugging and troubleshooting gets really easy

Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Interface

a LOT of memory space is used up

Security is another big concern when using this application Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Lucas E.

Programming Analyst

Marketing and Advertising

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3/29/2017

"Microsoft SQL 2012"

4.5/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

Far and away the best query language available. It's such an easy and clean language to learn and expand on. Use it all day, every work day. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

Syntax error reporting could be a little more in depth. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

3/29/2017

"a slight learning curve"

3/5

What do you like best about Microsoft SQL Server?

simplicity it has the basic of all Microsoft products, If you know how to use words tool bar and excel same basic functionality will be found in that tool bar Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Microsoft SQL Server?

its too simple, for large data I would prefer using R Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.