Microsoft SQL Server Logo Award Winner Product Badge
Microsoft SQL Server Logo Award Winner Product Badge
Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft SQL Server

Composite Score
8.8 /10
CX Score
9.1 /10
Category
Microsoft SQL Server
8.8 /10

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.

Company Details


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Awards & Recognition

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

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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

84

Data Security

83

Exception Handling and Notifications

81

Batch Integration

81

Real Time Integration

81

Synchronization and Replication

80

Metadata Management

80

Data Virtualization

79

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

79

Multi Channel Support

78

API Management and Orchestration

78

Vendor Capability Ratings

Average 82

Business Value Created

84

Ease of Implementation

84

Quality of Features

83

Ease of Data Integration

83

Breadth of Features

83

Usability and Intuitiveness

82

Availability and Quality of Training

82

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

81

Ease of IT Administration

80

Vendor Support

80

Ease of Customization

79

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Oyemomi M.

  • Role: Information Technology
  • Industry: Manufacturing
  • Involvement: IT Development, Integration, and Administration
Validated Review
Verified Reviewer

Submitted Feb 2025

Powerful and Easy to Use for Data Management.

Likeliness to Recommend

8 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Microsoft SQL Server is easy to set up, manage, and scale. It works smoothly with other Microsoft tools like Excel, Power BI, and Azure, making data management and analysis simple. Unlike some databases with complex licensing, SQL Server offers flexible and cost-effective pricing. It also provides strong security, fast performance, and the ability to run on-premises, in the cloud, or both.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

I like how easy Microsoft SQL Server is to use and manage. The built-in tools make database tasks simple, and it works well with other Microsoft products like Excel, Power BI, and Azure. Plus, it’s fast, secure, and reliable.

What do you dislike most about this product?

Microsoft SQL Server is great, but it can be expensive. Some advanced features also need technical skills to use properly.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

If you're thinking about using Microsoft SQL Server, go for it! It’s powerful, reliable, and works well with other Microsoft tools like Excel and Power BI. Just make sure to choose the right edition—Standard is great for most businesses, while Enterprise is for bigger operations. Also, plan for the costs, as licensing can get expensive. If you’re new to it, get some training or have an expert set it up so you can get the best out of it. Overall, it’s a solid choice for managing and analyzing data.

Pros

  • Helps Innovate
  • Continually Improving Product
  • Performance Enhancing
  • Efficient Service

Uday B.

  • Role: Information Technology
  • Industry: Technology
  • Involvement: IT Development, Integration, and Administration
Validated Review
Verified Reviewer

Submitted Feb 2025

Reliable and Powerful Database Solution

Likeliness to Recommend

9 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Easy User interface, customisation and easy to use.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

Query customisation and User interface

What do you dislike most about this product?

User Interface everything at one place

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

It has easy clean user Interface and many customized features

Pros

  • Continually Improving Product
  • Includes Product Enhancements
  • Helps Innovate
  • Performance Enhancing

Dinesh P.

  • Role: Information Technology
  • Industry: Banking
  • Involvement: IT Leader or Manager
Validated Review
Verified Reviewer

Submitted Feb 2025

"Full of features, Easy to use".

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Microsoft SQL Server stands out from other database management systems due to its deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, enterprise-grade security features, and user-friendly tools like SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). It offers advanced analytics, in-memory processing, and built-in AI capabilities, making it well-suited for high-performance workloads. Additionally, its seamless integration with Azure services provides powerful hybrid and cloud-based database solutions, differentiating it from competitors like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

One of my favorite aspects of SQL Server is its high availability and disaster recovery features. The Always On availability groups ensure that databases stay online even during failures, and the performance optimizations can handle large workloads efficiently. When combined with Azure, SQL Server becomes an incredibly powerful hybrid solution for businesses that need both on-premise and cloud capabilities.

What do you dislike most about this product?

That said, there are some downsides. The biggest one for me is the cost—SQL Server’s licensing fees can be quite high, especially for smaller businesses or startups. Also, while it does run on Linux now, it’s still primarily optimized for Windows, so cross-platform performance isn’t as smooth as with open-source databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL. And even though Microsoft has improved query optimization with AI-driven features, manual tuning is still often required for complex workloads, which can be frustrating at times.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

For anyone considering SQL Server, my recommendation would be to carefully assess your budget and infrastructure. If your business already relies on Microsoft products, SQL Server is an excellent choice because of its deep integration with Azure, Windows, and Power BI. But if you're working in a Linux-heavy environment or need a more cost-effective solution, you might want to compare it with alternatives like PostgreSQL. Also, take the time to explore the built-in tools for high availability and performance tuning—they can make a huge difference in how efficiently your database runs.

Pros

  • Helps Innovate
  • Continually Improving Product
  • Reliable
  • Enables Productivity

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