MORE INFORMATION
Extended Support
Extended Support for SQL Server 7.0 will continue for at least
five years, through December 2010. During Extended Support, we will
continue to provide security hotfixes and paid support. Extended Support will
be provided through Premier Support contracts and Essential Support contracts, per-incident
telephone support, and Web support. We will continue to provide no-charge
security updates, and self-help online support options throughout the SQL
Server 7.0 Extended Support phase.
Extended Hotfix Support
If you have non-security-related hotfix requests, you must acquire an Extended Hotfix Support Agreement (ESHA). Enterprise Agreement
(EA) and Software Assurance (SA) customers can sign up for an ESHA at any
time.
Important Customers who do not have an EA or SA for SQL Server
7.0 must sign up for an ESHA by March 31, 2006.
| Customers without an Enterprise Agreement or Software Assurance | Enroll by |
| SQL Server 7.0 Enterprise Edition Service Pack 4 (SP4) | March 31, 2006 |
| SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition SP4 | March 31, 2006 |
| Customers without an Enterprise Agreement or Select Software Assurance Membership | Enroll by |
| SQL Server 7.0 Enterprise Edition SP4 | March 31, 2006 |
Each product is considered a separate stock-keeping unit (SKU) and will be
priced separately for Extended Hotfix Support.
Note Design change requests (DCRs) will not be available for SQL Server
7.0 during the Extended Support phase. SQL Server 7.0 support will be at the SQL Server 7.0 Service Pack 4 (SP4) level. After December 31, 2005, Software Assurance Problem
Resolution Support benefits will no longer be available for the SQL Server 7.0
products that are listed here.
Resources
Standard support
offerings for SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 will continue. SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 are currently in the Mainstream Support phase. SQL Server
2000 Mainstream Support will end December 2007.
For more information
about upgrading from SQL Server 7.0, visit the following Microsoft SQL Server
TechCenter Web site:
For more information about the Extended Support Hotfix
Agreement pricing and program rules, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Additionally, if you have any questions about the SQL Server
7.0 transition to Extended Support, about migration plans to SQL Server 2005, or about the
Microsoft Support Lifecycle, contact a Microsoft Account Manager.
Thank you for your continued support
and feedback.
Microsoft CorporationAppendix
The Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy provides transparent,
predictable coverage of Microsoft products and continues to set the standard
for product support policies industry-wide. For specific details about our
product support life cycle, visit the following Microsoft Support Lifecycle
Policy Web site:
Implications of Extended Support
The Problem Resolution Support benefit for SQL Server 7.0 with
SA is only applicable during the Mainstream
Support phase of a product. This benefit will no longer be available after the transition
to Extended Support.
EA customers and SA
customers can upgrade from SQL Server 7.0 to SQL Server 2000 or to SQL Server 2005.
These products are eligible for Problem Resolution Support.
During the Extended
Support phase, SQL Server 7.0 customers will continue to receive security updates. SQL Server 7.0 customers will also have access to paid support options. These options include the following:
- Essential Support
- Premier Support
- MSDN and TechNet
- Paid-incident support
However, effective January
1, 2006, complimentary support, Design Change Requests (DCRs), or new feature
requests for SQL Server 7.0 products will no longer be available. To continue
to receive non-security-related hotfix requests, you will have to acquire an
ESHA.
Effective January 1, 2006
The following support options apply for SQL Server 7.0 products:
- Security hotfixes and paid support options such as
Premier and Essential support contracts, and per-incident telephone and Web support.
- SQL Server 7.0 Enterprise
- Customers without an EA or a Select Software Assurance Membership (SAM) who are interested in
an Extended Hotfix Support Agreement (ESHA) must sign up by March 31, 2006 and pay an annual fee for coverage. With an Extended Hotfix Support Agreement (ESHA), customers can request
non-security hotfixes during the Extended Support phase. Additional per-hotfix fees
apply after the hotfix that is included with the annual fee.
- Customers who are covered under an EA or a Select SAM
agreement:
- These customers are not required to sign up within 90-days. They
can sign up during the term of their EA or Select SAM coverage.
Therefore, they can defer signing up for an EHSA until they report their first
incident.
- These customers are not required to pay the annual EHSA program fee
for each of the five years in the Extended Support phase, provided that they
continue to be covered under an EA or Select SAM agreement. However, customers
will still be required to pay a per non-security hotfix fee for each hotfix
that is received. This includes the first hotfix that is received. Because hotfixes must be requested through
the Premier program, customers who do not have a Premier contract will be
required to pay for one at the time of the incident.
- These customers receive coverage for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Professional if the product is covered by SA, an EA, or a Select SAM agreement.
- SQL Server 7.0 Standard
- Customers without an EA or SA who are interested
in an Extended Hotfix Support Agreement (ESHA) must sign up by March 31, 2006 and must pay an annual fee for coverage. With an EHSA, customers can request non-security
hotfixes during the Extended Support phase. Additional per-hotfix fees
apply after the hotfix that is included with the annual fee.
- Customers who are covered under an EA or SA:
- These customers are not required to sign up within 90 days. They
can sign up during the term of their EA or SA.
Therefore, these customers can wait to sign up for an EHSA until they report their first
incident.
- These customers are not required to pay the annual EHSA program fee
for each of the five years in the Extended Support phase, provided that they
continue to be covered under an EA or Select SAM agreement. However, customers
will still be required to pay a per non-security hotfix fee for each hotfix
that is received. This includes the first hotfix that is received. Because hotfixes must be requested through
the Premier program, customers who do not have a Premier contract will be
required to pay for one at the time of the incident.
- These customers receive coverage for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 if
the product is covered by SA.
- All SQL Server 7.0 customers will continue to have access
to all security fixes and self-help online support options. This includes
Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and online product information.
- Complimentary support options and design change requests
will no longer be available.
- Service Pack 4 (SP4) becomes the final release of SQL Server 7.0.
SQL Server 7.0 support will be at the SP4 level.