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Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server

What Is Microsoft SQL Server?

Database and analysis offering for rapidly delivering the next generation of scalable e-commerce & line-of-business solutions.

Who Uses Microsoft SQL Server?

Companies of all sizes, looking for database management software

Microsoft SQL Server Software - Microsoft SQL Server

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Microsoft SQL Server

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Reviews of Microsoft SQL Server

Average score

Overall
4.6
Ease of Use
4.3
Customer Service
4.3
Features
4.6
Value for Money
4.3

Reviews by company size (employees)

  • <50
  • 51-200
  • 201-1,000
  • >1,001
Amanda
Amanda
Designer in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Design, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server

5.0 last year

Comments: My experience with Microsoft server is very delightful, I am an independent contractor and I own my own business, so I'm always on my computer, Microsoft server has everything including my data secured and safe, I never have to worry about my data

Pros:

The pros of Microsoft server, it helps support enterprise management and it also helps store your data securely, without worrying about your data security.

Cons:

The cons of Microsoft server, is whenever your Internet are interrupted, you will definitely lose access to your software data.

Abhinav
IT Head in India
Entertainment, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

SQL Server : Best database I have ever seen .

5.0 10 months ago

Pros:

User friendly interface, extensive documentation , large community support , automatic backups, overall robust performance

Cons:

Nothing as such. Till this time SQL is great to use and deploy.

Wassim
Associate Professor in US
Computer Networking, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server: An RDBMS that is Lagging in the Database Industry

3.0 2 years ago

Comments: I do believe that Microsoft has improved dramatically the performance and features of MS-SQL Server in the last decade but still many performance tuning on the algorithmic level (especially in concurrency support) has to be targetted.

Pros:

I mostly like the integration features that Microsoft worked on hardly to make its Visual Studio IDE seamlessly integrating MS-SQL Server which makes the development process really streamlined and rapid whether using C#.NET, VB.NET, or the Web ASP.NET. The common language platform features in .NET leverages the RDBMS capabilities of MS SQL Server in development and production environments.

Cons:

The performance of MS-SQL Server lags with concurrent user access. Concurrency support has to be worked on to better compete with industry leading RDBMSes such as Oracle and DB2. Even MySQL can surpass the performance of MS-SQL Server in many concurrency management configurations.

Prashish
Developer in US
Information Technology & Services, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Jr. developer

5.0 3 months ago

Pros:

Easy to use, not complicated, easy to use for coding. Easy to download

Cons:

Hard to find the debug, not friendly for the new user.

Humberto
Systems Engineer in Colombia
Import & Export, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Successful data management and administration

5.0 last year

Comments: A great tool for database administration and management, the ability to perform easy tasks in terms of backups, restores and replications makes it one of the great options for productive environments where you work.

Pros:

Its ease and versatility in administration tasks, its great integration with bi and bigdata environments, as well as its stability in production environments.

Cons:

The biggest disadvantage I see is that it is not as mature in its implementation in unix environments.

Mariachiara
Professor in Italy
Higher Education Software, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

SQL Server in teaching

4.0 6 months ago

Comments: I'm using it at school to teach SQL language and web developing

Pros:

Possibility of using it quite everywhere

Cons:

installation that sometimes crash and has to be dome again

Fiach
Director in Italy
Computer Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

The best Database to use with Windows-Native applications

5.0 last year

Comments: I've used SQL server since version 7, which is more than 20 years ago, and still use it every day (Although, not version 7!)

Pros:

If you are using C# / .NET on a Windows server, then Microsoft SQL server is the natural choice. The free edition is fine to get started, and once you out grow it, you can afford the license fee (hopefully!)

Cons:

It's very expensive, given that there are free alternatives like MySQL. CSV importing is a pain, when it doesn't need to be.

Maheshvarideen
Security in India
Alternative Medicine, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Microsoft

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: I am using it only but many people are doing it and its result is very good.

Pros:

it is very good software it gives very good server i am using it for almost two years

Cons:

I have run it for two years its complete result is very good

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server depending on what you need

4.0 10 months ago

Comments: What I liked the most is that Microsoft SQL server offers a "free specialized edition" which I used to test what they actually offered and how good it was.

Pros:

Great features, cross-platform, well equiped, a good search/filter system, data secured, and the permissions system seemed pretty secure.

Cons:

The pricing is somewhat high, and it would run slow sometimes for no reasons, something that reports and analytics wouldn't show.

Abiola
Data analyst in UK
Insurance Software, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Simplification of work

5.0 2 months ago

Comments: Awesome, makes my life and work very easy

Pros:

In my role as a data analyst, it helped me analyse huge data sets easily

Cons:

Can be cumbersome to use until one becomes familiar

Rupinder
Developer in UK
Telecommunications, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

SQL review

4.0 11 months ago

Comments: I have work on sql db for more than 11 yrs and trust me it has never let me down . Microsoft provides the online documentation for most of the topics

Pros:

It is economical , has most of the functionality db need to have .

Cons:

If you are working with older versions of the sever it can be daunting

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

SQL Server Management Studio 18

5.0 last year

Comments: Overall, a great experience over the last 13 years of use. Easy to set up databases, query them and performance is great.

Pros:

The interface is very easy to use and once you have connected up, the expandable and collapsible views of your databases, tables, stored procs, views, sql jobs etc and easily viewable and excellent to navigate through. You can customise the icon and buttons to suit your setup preferences. The performance of SSMS has dramtically increased over the past few years and the features and functions they offer are great. For someone who has been in support and not a full fledged developer, this is an excellent enterprise tool to manage your data and connect it with .NET applications.

Cons:

Nothing as of yet. I have found it to meet my needs each and every time.

Andres Ernesto
Andres Ernesto
Developer - Data specialist in Peru
Verified LinkedIn User
Consumer Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

My Opinion

5.0 last year

Pros:

It's very difficult for it to leave you wrong, it's the number 1 relational database manager on the market, a software with years of maturity and with a large community

Cons:

I think there are managers who handle larger amounts of data more easily.

madhava
team lead in India
Computer Software, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server

5.0 8 months ago

Comments: SQL Server is not just a database engine; it provides many other services, tools, and applications

Pros:

Microsoft SQL Server has an activity monitor that will show any errors. I have been using Microsoft SQL Server for 12 years and I have no complaints. Microsoft SQL Server is great, as long as the user is familiar enough with it

Cons:

Difficult licensing process that’s always changing

Pedimonte
Customer Service Representative in Philippines
Consumer Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Jenelyn's Review

5.0 last year

Comments: its a very convenient as customer support to organized my all important list it is easy to find my all back up codes

Pros:

its easy to used it as tool for my work to organized my all important list and codes

Cons:

its having a logging but when I try a basic troubleshoot to restart my device its much better to used it

JOHN
President in US
Information Technology & Services, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Versatile DMBS for all businesses

5.0 last year

Comments: I have developed software for SQL Server for over 20 years and am happy with how it fits the needs to small businesses.

Pros:

Integration with Access, Excel. C#, and many other tools. Easy to migrate data in and out.

Cons:

Would prefer a data and schema comparison tool that's built in to SSMS rather than having installing Visual Studio and an extension.

Phil
SQL DBA \ ERP Administrator in US
Oil & Energy, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: We have been successfully hosting our Enterprise Resource Planning system on MS SQL Server with very few issues over a number of years. Upgrades have been relatively easy to implement, and performance has been adequate for the most part.

Pros:

MS SQL Server provides a secure, fault tolerant, and robust environment for our data hosting needs. It provides secure methods to integrate data with other systems, while also providing the ability to automate integration jobs.

Cons:

Pricing for the Enterprise version is rather steep for our size of business. It would be nice to see the features of third-party tools (example: SQL Complete) added to the native MS SQL Server Management tool. The database mail component could also use an upgrade to be more intuitive and easier to configure.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Media Production, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The great Data Base ever

4.0 last year

Comments: Over all this is the great data base ever, with free prize

Pros:

The most i like from Microsoft SQL Server is free application

Cons:

The most i least like from the Microsoft SQL Server is when i change mw computer name, i have to reinstal the software, if not mw data base wont be running

Diosdado
Freelancer in Philippines
Information Technology & Services, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

Exploring Microsoft SQL Server as your next server

5.0 9 months ago

Comments: Overall it's a great choice for a secure server storage and offers features that will help database developers or administrator in simplifying their usage.

Pros:

I like almost every aspect of Microsoft SQL server features like creating a database, connecting relationships in ERD creation for RDBMS that allowed for a seamless database visualization of design and functionality as a server.

Cons:

The UI are somewhat basic although it doesn't affect the major functionality.

panashe
panashe
IT Specialist in Zimbabwe
Verified LinkedIn User
Human Resources (HR) Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Ms SQL Review

5.0 last year

Pros:

Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful database, though its complexity can be a challenge, its capabilities are undeniably impressive.

Cons:

Managing Microsoft SQL Server can be complex and resource-intensive, demanding a steep learning curve and potentially straining hardware resources, which might be challenging for some users.

natia
Financial Officer in Georgia
Retail, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Software that will help almost all kind of business.

5.0 last year

Comments: Overall SQL Server is a modern product from Microsoft that offers many features. My daily working process is linked with it. And i strongly recommend this product.

Pros:

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the best software in database field. Nowadays all business needs database. SQL Server can handle a huge number of data. It helps me to manage, retrieve, update data. It works great.

Cons:

First thing what i don't like, it's price. In my opinion, that is high for my region. The next thing is that SQL server requires high performance computer. Memory capacity must be large as well.

Andres
Senior Software Engineer in Australia
Health, Wellness & Fitness, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Terrific storage solution

4.0 last year

Pros:

It is flexible, yet robust. Other storage solutions come and go, but SQL survives

Cons:

It's easy to learn but hard to master, which means it's easy to get into but also easy to make mistakes that cost you.

Emma
Database Coordinator in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Longstanding product for a reason!

4.0 last year

Pros:

We love that our vendor can work with us on reports since it supports different programming languages and frameworks We have a diverse skill set and it makes collaboration so easy!

Cons:

My least favorite issue is that sometimes the window I'm working in will freeze and never unfreeze. I lose the work up to my last saved entry.

Waleed Ahmad
Waleed Ahmad
Software Developer in Sweden
Verified LinkedIn User
Financial Services Software, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Best relational database management systems

5.0 last year

Pros:

Best thing about SQL server is its support from Microsoft and its community, when you are stuck on something you can easily get help on internet about it.

Cons:

Management studio can be a bit better and user friendly.

Jeff
Web Manager in Canada
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Microsoft SQL Server for Non-Profits

5.0 last year

Pros:

Its a fantastic software, super powerful. It makes it very easy to get things done. The software that you use to edit records comes with it so you don't need to purchase another software

Cons:

Expensive, too much for a non-profit. We had issues with it after a year or two.