Microsoft SQL Server - 2026 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

Reviewers appreciate Microsoft SQL Server's robust access controls and permissions. They highlight the ability to assign specific roles and permissions to users, ensuring data security. Users report that it integrates well with Microsoft Active Directory, allowing for granular control over database access. They find it easy to manage user roles and permissions, although some mention the user interface could be more intuitive. Overall, users value the security and control provided by these capabilities. Of the 47 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Access Controls/Permissions, 100% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Reviewers indicate that Microsoft SQL Server's backup and recovery capabilities are reliable and easy to use. They appreciate the integration with third-party tools and the variety of backup options available, including full, differential, and transactional backups. Users report that the process is straightforward, whether using the GUI or scripting. They find the ability to restore data quickly in case of failures or disasters invaluable, although some note that restoring newer backups on older versions can be problematic. Of the 92 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Backup and Recovery, 99% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“Backup and restoration of databases is very simple in SQL Server. Using SQL Server Management Studio, backups can be performed as a portal .bacpac file or via more traditional full / incremental backups using the UI or via scripting. ”

BH

Brian H.

Software Engineer

“Restore from backup is also a very common feature to use. GUI makes it very simple by providing all the required options in the relevant context menu. One drawback is that a backup that is made in a newer version of MS SQL server can not be restored in an older version.”

Mir F.

WordPress Developer

Users report that Microsoft SQL Server excels in data storage management, providing a secure and efficient environment for storing and retrieving data. They appreciate the structured storage, ease of access, and the ability to manage large datasets. Reviewers highlight the flexibility in storage options and the continuous improvements in storage management with each version. They find the tool user-friendly, even for those with limited SQL knowledge, and value the ability to customize data storage and manage data transactions effectively. Of the 69 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Data Storage Management, 99% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Reviewers appreciate the extensive data connectors available in Microsoft SQL Server. They highlight the ability to connect with various external sources such as flat files, Excel, CSV, and other databases like DB2 and MySQL. Users find the integration with tools like Power BI and cloud-based services beneficial. They report that the connectors facilitate seamless data import/export and enhance the database's versatility. Some users mention occasional connectivity issues, but overall, they value the wide range of supported connectors. Of the 32 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Data Connectors, 88% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“Able to link between SQL Server's, to link to another application's IBM DB2 database, and to even link to spreadsheets to populate SQL tables.”

LN

Lew N.

Director of Information Technology

“The data connection can be done easily. data can be fetched and processed from other Databases, flat files, Excel, CSV. ”

Gajanan S.

Consultant specialist

Reviewers indicate that Microsoft SQL Server offers comprehensive performance analysis tools. They appreciate the built-in capabilities like tuning advisor, query optimization, and performance reports. Users find these tools helpful for identifying and resolving performance issues, optimizing database management, and ensuring efficient query execution. They report that the performance analysis capabilities are user-friendly and provide valuable insights for maintaining high performance. Some users suggest that efficiency could be improved for handling large data volumes. Of the 48 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Performance Analysis, 85% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“Performance Analysis is a specialised tool that provides admin with objective information that helps them understand performance of in Microsoft sql server”

Taaha L.

IT Trainee

“Although the performance of SQL Server for analysis tasks is very good, work could be done on its efficiency to respond to large volumes of data.”

Andrés L.

Fullstack Developer

Users report that Microsoft SQL Server's data migration capabilities are effective and user-friendly. They highlight the ease of migrating data between different SQL Server instances and other database platforms like Oracle and DB2. Reviewers appreciate the import/export wizards and the integration with tools like SSIS and Azure Data Factory. They find the migration process straightforward, although some note that large-scale migrations can be complex. Overall, users value the flexibility and efficiency of the data migration tools. Of the 47 Microsoft SQL Server users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Data Migration, 85% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“Data can be moved to different database platforms such as Oracle and DB2. High availability techniques also allow users to share and synchronize data across different platforms.”

Vivek S.

Application Developer Senior Analyst

“We have to move data across multiple disparate systems, on premises and in the cloud. Migration and ETL is critical. Within the Microsoft Stack, this is fairly easy and the tools provided get the job done.”

SB

Shawn B.

Financial Systems Data Analyst