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Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft SQL Server

Composite Score

8.8 /10

CX Score

9.1 /10

266 Reviews Write a Review

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What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Apply intelligence across all your data with SQL Server 2022. Whether your data is structured or unstructured, query and analyze it using the data platform with industry-leading performance and security. Regardless of where your data is stored, query and analyze it with the data platform known for performance, security, and availability.

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Awards & Recognition

Microsoft SQL Server won the following awards in the Data Integration category

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2025 Emotional Footprint Champion

Latest Award, 2025

2025 Data Quadrant Champion

2025

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

2025

2024 Emotional Footprint Champion

2024

2024 Data Quadrant Champion

2024

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

2024

2023 Emotional Footprint Champion

2023

Microsoft SQL Server Ratings

Real user data aggregated to summarize the product performance and customer experience.
Download the entire Product Scorecard to access more information on Microsoft SQL Server.

Product scores listed below represent current data. This may be different from data contained in reports and awards, which express data as of their publication date.

89 Likeliness to Recommend

98 Plan to Renew

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

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Emotional Footprint Overview

Product scores listed below represent current data. This may be different from data contained in reports and awards, which express data as of their publication date.

+90 Net Emotional Footprint

The emotional sentiment held by end users of the software based on their experience with the vendor. Responses are captured on an eight-point scale.

How much do users love Microsoft SQL Server?

2% Negative

4% Neutral

94% Positive

Pros

Reliable
Performance Enhancing
Respectful
Helps Innovate

Feature Ratings

Average 81

Administrative Features

Data Security

Exception Handling and Notifications

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Synchronization and Replication

Metadata Management

Data Virtualization

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

Multi Channel Support

API Management and Orchestration

Vendor Capability Ratings

Average 82

Business Value Created

Ease of Implementation

Quality of Features

Ease of Data Integration

Breadth of Features

Usability and Intuitiveness

Availability and Quality of Training

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

Ease of IT Administration

Vendor Support

Ease of Customization

Also Featured in...

Transaction Data Store

Score 8.9

View Microsoft SQL Server in this category (opens in a new tab)

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Lanre A.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Finance
Involvement: IT Leader or Manager

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Mar 2025

Easy to use and easy SQL to grasp.

Likeliness to Recommend

9 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

The propriety SQL for SQL server is easy to learn and teach.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

Easy to implement and install

What do you dislike most about this product?

Overall a great product

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Learn SQL first. Makes you more comfortable

Pros

Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Caring
Acts with Integrity

Temilorun Mobolaji O.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Not for Profit
Involvement: IT Leader or Manager

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Mar 2025

Powerful database management, but room for modern

Likeliness to Recommend

8 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Microsoft SQL Server stands out for its robust security features, seamless integration with Microsoft products, and strong enterprise-level performance. Unlike some competitors, it offers advanced analytics, AI-driven insights, and built-in support for big data clusters. Its user-friendly management tools, such as SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), make database administration more accessible. Additionally, its high availability and disaster recovery features ensure reliability for mission-critical applications.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

My favorite aspect of Microsoft SQL Server is its powerful performance optimization and security features. The query performance tuning, automatic indexing, and built-in encryption make it a reliable choice for handling large-scale databases efficiently. Plus, its seamless integration with Microsoft tools like Azure, Power BI, and Excel makes data management and analytics much smoother.

What do you dislike most about this product?

I dislike that Microsoft SQL Server can be quite expensive, especially for enterprise editions. Additionally, the licensing model is complex, making it difficult to determine the best option for a given use case. The resource-heavy nature of SQL Server can also be a drawback, requiring significant system resources for optimal performance.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

If you're looking for a powerful, secure, and enterprise-grade database solution, Microsoft SQL Server is an excellent choice - especially if you're already in the Microsoft ecosystem. However, be mindful of the licensing costs and hardware requirements, as they can add up. If you need a more cost-effective or cloud-native option, consider Azure SQL Database or open-source alternatives like PostgreSQL.

Pros

Over Delivered
Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Trustworthy

Ganesh R.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Technology
Involvement: IT Leader or Manager

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Feb 2025

Microsoft SQL Server Powerful, Secure Performance

Likeliness to Recommend

9 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

SQL Server seamlessly integrates with Azure, Active Directory, Power BI, Microsoft 365, and Windows Server.Ideal for enterprises heavily invested in the Microsoft stack. Encrypts data both at rest and in use, ensuring sensitive data remains protected.Enables real-time encryption of databases.Supports OLAP, data mining, and multidimensional analyticsEnables real-time business intelligence without third-party tools.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

One of my favorite aspects of Microsoft SQL Server is its seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem—especially Azure, Power BI, and Active Directory. This makes it an excellent choice for enterprises that need scalability, security, and analytics all in one package. Another standout feature is Always Encrypted, which ensures that even database administrators can't see sensitive data. This is a game-changer for industries like finance and healthcare where data privacy is critical.

What do you dislike most about this product?

One of the biggest drawbacks of Microsoft SQL Server is its licensing cost, especially for the Enterprise edition

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

If cost is a concern, evaluate whether Standard Edition meets your needs before going Enterprise.Regularly analyze and optimize queries using SQL Server Profiler and Database Engine Tuning Advisor. Use SQL Server Licensing Calculator to estimate costs before deployment.Implement role-based access control (RBAC) and integrate with Active Directory for authentication.If you need built-in BI, SQL Server is a better choice than MySQL or PostgreSQL, which require external tools.

Pros

Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Trustworthy
Efficient Service

Microsoft SQL Server

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Company Details

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Awards & Recognition

2025 Emotional Footprint Champion

2025 Data Quadrant Champion

2024 Emotional Footprint Champion

2024 Data Quadrant Champion

2023 Emotional Footprint Champion

Microsoft SQL Server Ratings

89 Likeliness to Recommend

98 Plan to Renew

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

Emotional Footprint Overview

+90 Net Emotional Footprint

How much do users love Microsoft SQL Server?

Pros

Feature Ratings Average rating of all product features, some of which may not be shown below

Administrative Features Includes basic aspects of data extraction, transformation, and loading. Administrative console and process viewing, interruption, restart, cancel, and rollback.

Data Security Includes ability to hide sensitive data by masking with special characters or anonymous information.

Exception Handling and Notifications Ability to catch, report, and handle exceptions; includes transaction logging and event viewing.

Batch Integration Includes ability to schedule integration processes to run on a periodic basis to control the movement of data from a source to target.

Real Time Integration Able to integrate data in near-real time and handle movement of data from a source to target. Monitoring for changes in a data source in a non-invasive manner.

Synchronization and Replication Includes the ability to accurately catch, reflect, and correct changes in data across multiple data stores.

Metadata Management A metadata layer makes reporting easy and eliminates the need for coding and SQL, allowing users to see and access information in simple business language.

Data Virtualization Includes ability to create views joining disparate data sources without the need for persistence.

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing Includes data cleansing, reconciliation, and profiling across multiple sources in batch mode.

Multi Channel Support The ability to support and connect with channels including Cloud Services, Big Data Platforms, web, mobile, social, IoT, wearables, etc.

API Management and Orchestration Includes publishing, promoting and overseeing APIs and Orchestration Services.

Vendor Capability Ratings Average rating of all vendor capabilities, some of which may not be shown below

Business Value Created Software needs to create value for employees, customers, partners, and, ultimately, shareholders. This data expresses user satisfaction - or lack thereof - with the product's business value.

Ease of Implementation Successfully implementing new software is necessary to realize its full value and promote end user adoption. This data indicates whether or not the product is easy to implement.

Quality of Features Feature quality is just as important as quantity. Use this data to determine if this product will do what you're purchasing it to do, easily, intuitively, reliably, and effectively.

Ease of Data Integration Use this data to determine whether the product will cause headaches or make data integration easy.

Breadth of Features Users prefer feature rich software that enables them to perform diverse series of tasks. This data expresses user satisfaction with the product's breadth of features.

Usability and Intuitiveness End user learning curves cost the organization money. Pay attention to your end users' technical ability to determine how important UX is in your purchase.

Availability and Quality of Training Effective and readily available training enables users to get the most out of the software you've chosen. Use this section to make sure your vendor's training programs and materials measure up.

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement Vendors who don't stay on top of emerging needs and trends won't enable you to meet your business goals. Use this data to separate innovators from imposters.

Ease of IT Administration This data indicates whether IT personnel will be able to resolve issues and perform configurations efficiently and effectively.

Vendor Support The importance of vendor support will vary for each organization depending on internal capabilities, but there will always be issues that only the vendor can resolve.

Ease of Customization Don't get bogged down in a difficult customization; use this data to make sure you can easily achieve the functionality you need for your particular situation.

Also Featured in...

Transaction Data Store

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Lanre A.

Easy to use and easy SQL to grasp.

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Temilorun Mobolaji O.

Powerful database management, but room for modern

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Ganesh R.

Microsoft SQL Server Powerful, Secure Performance

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

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Feature Ratings

Administrative Features

Data Security

Exception Handling and Notifications

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Synchronization and Replication

Metadata Management

Data Virtualization

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

Multi Channel Support

API Management and Orchestration

Vendor Capability Ratings

Business Value Created

Ease of Implementation

Quality of Features

Ease of Data Integration

Breadth of Features

Usability and Intuitiveness

Availability and Quality of Training

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

Ease of IT Administration

Vendor Support

Ease of Customization