Amazon RDS for SQL Server version policy
This topic describes the version policy for Amazon RDS for SQL Server, including supported major and minor versions, release timelines, deprecation procedures, and upgrade guidance.
Amazon RDS for SQL Server major versions
Amazon RDS supports several major versions of Microsoft SQL Server, including SQL Server 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022.
| Microsoft SQL Server major version | RDS for SQL Server support |
|---|---|
2008 |
No longer supported |
2012 |
No longer supported |
2014 |
No longer supported |
2016 |
Supported |
2017 |
Supported |
2019 |
Supported |
2022 |
Supported |
Amazon RDS for SQL Server minor versions
RDS for SQL Server customers can specify any currently supported Microsoft SQL Server version when creating a new DB instance. You can specify the Microsoft SQL Server major version (such as Microsoft SQL Server 2022), and any supported minor version for the specified major version. If no version is specified, Amazon RDS defaults to a supported version, typically the most recent version. If a major version is specified but a minor version is not, Amazon RDS defaults to a recent release of the major version you have specified.
The following table shows the supported versions for all editions and all
AWS Regions, except where noted. You can also use the
describe-db-engine-versions
CLI command to see a list of supported versions, as well as defaults for newly created DB instances.
| Major version | Minor version | RDS API EngineVersion and CLI engine-version |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2022 |
16.00.4245.2 (CU24) 16.00.4236.2 (CU23 v2) 16.00.4230.2 (GDR) 16.00.4225.2 (CU22) 16.00.4215.2 (CU21) 16.00.4210.1 (GDR) 16.00.4205.1 (CU20) 16.00.4195.2 (CU19) 16.00.4185.3 (CU18) 16.00.4175.1 (CU17) 16.00.4165.4 (CU16) 16.00.4150.1 (GDR) 16.00.4145.4 (CU15) 16.00.4140.3 (GDR) 16.00.4135.4 (CU14) 16.00.4131.2 (CU13) 16.00.4125.3 (CU13) 16.00.4120.1 (GDR) 16.00.4115.5 (CU12) 16.00.4105.2 (CU11) 16.00.4095.4 (CU10) 16.00.4085.2 (CU9) |
|
| SQL Server 2019 |
15.00.4460.4 (GDR) 15.00.4455.2 (GDR) 15.00.4445.1 (GDR) 15.00.4440.1 (GDR) 15.00.4435.7 (GDR) 15.00.4430.1 (CU32) 15.00.4420.2 (CU31) 15.00.4415.2 (CU30) 15.00.4410.1 (GDR) 15.00.4405.4 (CU29) 15.00.4395.2 (GDR) 15.00.4390.2 (GDR) 15.00.4385.2 (CU28) 15.00.4382.1 (CU27) 15.00.4375.4 (CU27) 15.00.4365.2 (CU26) 15.00.4355.3 (CU25) 15.00.4345.5 (CU24) 15.00.4335.1 (CU23) 15.00.4322.2 (CU22) 15.00.4316.3 (CU21) 15.00.4312.2 (CU20) 15.00.4236.7 (CU16 SU) 15.00.4198.2 (CU15) 15.00.4153.1 (CU12) 15.00.4073.23 (CU8) 15.00.4043.16 (CU5) |
|
| SQL Server 2017 |
14.00.3520.4 (GDR) 14.00.3515.1 (GDR) 14.00.3505.1 (GDR) 14.00.3500.1 (GDR) 14.00.3495.9 (GDR) 14.00.3485.1 (GDR) 14.00.3480.1 (GDR) 14.00.3475.1 (GDR) 14.00.3471.2 (GDR) 14.00.3465.1 (GDR) 14.00.3460.9 (CU31) 14.00.3451.2 (CU30) 14.00.3421.10 (CU27) 14.00.3401.7 (CU25) 14.00.3381.3 (CU23) 14.00.3356.20 (CU22) 14.00.3294.2 (CU20) 14.00.3281.6 (CU19) |
|
| SQL Server 2016 |
13.00.6480.4 (GDR) 13.00.6475.1 (GDR) 13.00.6470.1 (GDR) 13.00.6465.1 (GDR) 13.00.6460.7 (GDR) 13.00.6455.2 (GDR) 13.00.6450.1 (GDR) 13.00.6445.1 (GDR) 13.00.6441.1 (GDR) 13.00.6435.1 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6430.49 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6419.1 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6300.2 (SP3) |
|
When does Amazon RDS for SQL Server introduce support for new major versions
Amazon RDS for SQL Server typically introduces support for new major SQL Server database versions within 6–12 months after Microsoft's general availability release date. When adding support for a new major version, Amazon RDS selects the first minor version that has undergone comprehensive testing to ensure stability.
How long Amazon RDS for SQL Server major versions remain available
Amazon RDS for SQL Server maintains support for major versions until Microsoft's
Extended End Date, which serves as the End of Support (EOS) date. (See
Microsoft
Documentation
| SQL Server major version | Microsoft End Of Support date | Expected date for upgrading to a newer version |
|---|---|---|
2016 |
7/14/2026 |
7/14/2026 |
2017 |
10/12/2027 |
10/12/2027 |
2019 |
1/8/2030 |
1/8/2030 |
2022 |
1/11/2033 |
1/11/2033 |
How often Amazon RDS for SQL Server minor versions are released
In general, Amazon RDS for SQL Server minor versions are released within 30 days after they are made available by Microsoft. The release schedule may vary to include additional features or fixes.
How long Amazon RDS for SQL Server minor versions remain available
In general, Amazon RDS for SQL Server supports the latest three minor versions for each major version. The exact number of minor versions for each major version may vary due to Microsoft support timeline of each minor version, Amazon RDS maintenance schedule, and other factors.
| Major version | Minor version | Microsoft End Of Support date | Expected date for upgrading to a newer version |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2022 |
16.00.4245.2 (CU24) 16.00.4236.2 (CU23 v2) 16.00.4230.2 (GDR) 16.00.4225.2 (CU22) 16.00.4215.2 (CU21) 16.00.4210.1 (GDR) 16.00.4205.1 (CU20) 16.00.4195.2 (CU19) 16.00.4185.3 (CU18) 16.00.4175.1 (CU17) 16.00.4165.4 (CU16) 16.00.4150.1 (GDR) 16.00.4145.4 (CU15) 16.00.4140.3 (GDR) 16.00.4135.4 (CU14) 16.00.4131.2 (CU13) 16.00.4125.3 (CU13) 16.00.4120.1 (GDR) 16.00.4115.5 (CU12) 16.00.4105.2 (CU11) 16.00.4095.4 (CU10) 16.00.4085.2 (CU9) |
1/11/2033 |
1/11/2033 |
| SQL Server 2019 |
15.00.4460.4 (GDR) 15.00.4455.2 (GDR) 15.00.4445.1 (GDR) 15.00.4440.1 (GDR) 15.00.4435.7 (GDR) 15.00.4430.1 (CU32) 15.00.4420.2 (CU31) 15.00.4415.2 (CU30) 15.00.4410.1 (GDR) 15.00.4405.4 (CU29) 15.00.4395.2 (GDR) 15.00.4390.2 (GDR) 15.00.4385.2 (CU28) 15.00.4382.1 (CU27) 15.00.4375.4 (CU27) 15.00.4365.2 (CU26) 15.00.4355.3 (CU25) 15.00.4345.5 (CU24) 15.00.4335.1 (CU23) 15.00.4322.2 (CU22) 15.00.4316.3 (CU21) 15.00.4312.2 (CU20) 15.00.4236.7 (CU16 SU) 15.00.4198.2 (CU15) 15.00.4153.1 (CU12) 15.00.4073.23 (CU8) 15.00.4043.16 (CU5) |
1/8/2030 |
1/8/2030 |
| SQL Server 2017 |
14.00.3520.4 (GDR) 14.00.3515.1 (GDR) 14.00.3505.1 (GDR) 14.00.3500.1 (GDR) 14.00.3495.9 (GDR) 14.00.3485.1 (GDR) 14.00.3480.1 (GDR) 14.00.3475.1 (GDR) 14.00.3471.2 (GDR) 14.00.3465.1 (GDR) 14.00.3460.9 (CU31) 14.00.3451.2 (CU30) 14.00.3421.10 (CU27) 14.00.3401.7 (CU25) 14.00.3381.3 (CU23) 14.00.3356.20 (CU22) 14.00.3294.2 (CU20) 14.00.3281.6 (CU19) |
10/12/2027 |
10/12/2027 |
| SQL Server 2016 |
13.00.6480.4 (GDR) 13.00.6475.1 (GDR) 13.00.6470.1 (GDR) 13.00.6465.1 (GDR) 13.00.6460.7 (GDR) 13.00.6455.2 (GDR) 13.00.6450.1 (GDR) 13.00.6445.1 (GDR) 13.00.6441.1 (GDR) 13.00.6435.1 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6430.49 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6419.1 (SP3 GDR) 13.00.6300.2 (SP3) |
7/14/2026 |
7/14/2026 |
What happens when an Amazon RDS for SQL Server database version is deprecated
When a major version of the database engine is deprecated in Amazon RDS, we provide a minimum six (6) month period after the announcement of a deprecation for you to initiate a manual upgrade to a supported major version. At the end of this period, an automatic upgrade to the next major version will be applied to any instances still running the deprecated version during their scheduled maintenance windows.
When a minor version of a database engine is deprecated in Amazon RDS, we provide a three (3) month period after the announcement before beginning automatic upgrades. At the end of this period, all instances still running the deprecated minor version will be scheduled for automatic upgrade to the latest supported minor version during their scheduled maintenance windows.
Once a major or minor database engine version is deprecated in Amazon RDS, any DB instance restored from a DB snapshot created with the unsupported version will automatically and immediately be upgraded to a currently supported version.
Mandatory Amazon RDS for SQL Server upgrades
Amazon RDS for SQL Server may require mandatory upgrades to newer minor versions when critical fixes are necessary. Before implementing these upgrades, Amazon communicates a detailed plan that includes timing of key milestones, impact on your database instances, and recommended actions. These mandatory upgrades are automated and scheduled to begin during your instance's designated maintenance window.
Testing your DB instance with a new SQL Server version before upgrading
You can test the upgrade process and how the new version works with your application and workload. Restore from an instance snapshot to create a new RDS for SQL Server instance. You can create an instance snapshot yourself from an existing Amazon RDS instance. Amazon RDS also automatically creates periodic snapshots for your instance. You can then initiate a version upgrade for the new instance. You can experiment on the upgraded copy of your instance before deciding whether to upgrade your original instance.
