Deprecating support of SQL Server 2012 for CommServe platforms

Commvault is committed to providing the highest levels of data protection for our customers. To maintain this commitment, we regularly evaluate our software's compatibility with different platforms and technologies. As a result of this evaluation, we have decided to deprecate support for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 as a supported database platform for the CommServe server.

What does "deprecate" mean?

When we deprecate a feature or platform, it means that we are no longer actively supporting it. This means that we will no longer test our software against SQL Server 2012 for the CommServe, and we will not provide bug fixes or patches specifically for that version of SQL Server.

In this instance, releases of Commvault software 2023 and above will no longer allow you to update if you have SQL 2012 installed.

Why are we deprecating SQL Server 2012 support?

There are a few reasons why we've made the decision to deprecate support for SQL Server 2012 as a database engine for the CommServe:

1. Microsoft has ended mainstream support for SQL Server 2012, which means that they will no longer provide non-security-related bug fixes or feature improvements.
2. SQL Server 2012 is an older version of SQL Server, and newer versions provide improved performance, scalability, and security.
3. Deprecating support for SQL Server 2012 will allow us to focus our resources on supporting newer versions of SQL Server and other technologies.

What does this mean for customers using SQL Server 2012?

If you are currently using SQL Server 2012 as the database platform for the CommServe, we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server as soon as possible. This will ensure that you continue to receive support and bug fixes from both Commvault and Microsoft.

If you continue to use SQL Server 2012 with Commvault, you may experience issues that we are unable to resolve. Additionally, from Platform Release 2023 onward, the software will not allow you to upgrade if you are running SQL 2012 as we are now taking advantage of features only available in SQL 2016 and above for better performance and scale.

How do you upgrade to a supported SQL release for the CommServe?

Most SQL 2012 installations are legacy installs left over from V10 to V11 upgrades. SQL 2012 included with V10 was enterprise edition, whereas V11 shifted to standard edition. Unfortunately, there is no upgrade path that can change SQL editions, and so a hardware refresh or reinstall of the Commvault software is required to install a more up to date version of SQL server. The process is fully outlined in this documentation page, and review the video which also explains the procedure.

Conclusion

Deprecating support for SQL Server 2012 as a database platform for the CommServe is a decision that we have made in order to provide the best possible data protection for our customers. We recommend that customers using SQL Server 2012 upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server as soon as possible to ensure that they continue to receive support and bug fixes together with improved performance and scale.