SQL Patch – How to Install and Update?

While working in the SQL Server environment, sometimes the users may encounter various issues with the server and the database. To resolve these issues and fix the bugs, the SQL patch helps greatly. But what are these patches and how are they helping the users in fixing the issues, is still not clear to many of us. 

So with the help of this technical write-up, we will now try to understand everything about the SQL server patching.

The SQL Server Patches – Explained

For the updates and other features like fixing the bugs in the SQL Server, Microsoft releases the update patches periodically. These updates include different kinds of fixes like security improvements, and advanced features for enhanced stability. There are multiple benefits for these update patches in SQL Server. Let’s understand why these updates are important for the SQL Server’s smooth workflow.

For Better Stability of SQL Server

The SQL patch helps database administrators repair the SQL Servers and fix bugs that cause system crashes and incorrect results. These updates further help the users to prevent corruption by repairing the possible causes for the damage in the SQL Server. 

Enhanced Security & Protection of SQL Database

All the major organizations use the SQL Server database for storing and managing crucial data. This makes the database an easy target for unauthorized personnel and attackers. To secure the database, the security patches help the users to make the database more secure and protected from these attacks. 

Addition of Advanced Features

The addition of features in the SQL Server makes it a more reliable environment for database administrators. With the updated and advanced features, the software becomes more safe and more secure to manage data and perform numerous operations. 

Minimized Downtime

Microsoft SQL patches help greatly in reducing the risks of outages and further minimizing the downtime of the server. With reduced downtime of the SQL Server, the workflow of users improves immediately. 

With all these benefits, the updates in SQL Server help with improving the overall health of the database and the server. Microsoft releases these updates and patches in multiple forms. Let’s now take a look at these types and understand how they are different and how they help.

Different Types of SQL Server Patching

As we discussed there are different types of SQL patch offered by Microsoft. Here is a detailed explanation of these types. Starting with the first one, which is, the cumulative update.

Cumulative Update[CU]

The Cumulative Updates are a part of Microsoft SQL patches that include all the previous updates in them. These patches are released in a period of one or two months and can be installed as per the user’s requirements. The database administrators can install the latest patch and get all the previous updates and features with them.

Cumulative Updates are widely preferred for the improvement of security and reliability of the SQL Server. They help in fixing bugs and enhancing the performance of the SQL environment. 

Now, moving to the next type of SQL Patch, let’s see what it is and how it helps. 

Service Packs[SP] In SQL 

The Service Packs can be considered as the collection of cumulative updates. The SPs were used for all the major updates in SQL Server Patching. For the overall upgradation of the SQL environment, these SPs were a much more reliable option. 

However, due to some reasons, Microsoft discontinued these service packs after the SQL Server Version 2017 and continued the patching with the Cumulative Updates.

Now, for the next type of update in SQL Server, there is a General Distribution Release. Let’s understand what it is and how it works.

General Distribution Release[GDR]

The General Distribution Release is the updates that were released for only critical issues in the SQL Server. These patches are only responsible for the security of the SQL Server environment. Like the cumulative updates and the service packs, these updates do not include feature improvements or performance enhancements. They are only responsible for ensuring the security and protection of the SQL environment. 

Let’s see a few examples of the SQL Patch

• For SQL Server Version 2017:
  CU1, CU2, CU3, GDR1
• Next, SQL Server Version 2016:
  SP1, SP2, CU1 for SP2, CU2 for SP2, GDR1

Now, the question arises, how the SQL Server patching is done? So to answer that question, let’s move to the steps on how to install the updates in the SQL environment.

How to Install Microsoft SQL Patches & Updates?

Before installing the updates and proceeding with the SQL Server patching, there are a few things that a database administrator has to keep in mind to ensure a safer result. 

These factors are:

• To verify the SQL Server version choose the accurate update.
• Plan the downtime to minimize the workflow disruption of the users.
• Check the disk space to ensure there is enough storage to install the update. 

After making sure that these factors are verified, let’s now move to the steps that will help in installing the patches efficiently. 

The steps for installation are as follows:

1. Firstly, check the version of the SQL Server you are working on. You can use the given command for the same:
   SELECT @@VERSION version;
2. After checking the version, select the appropriate update and install the desired SQL patch. 
3. Now, stop any critically running SQL Services in the SQL Server.
4. After that, launch the installer for updating the SQL environment. 

Once these steps are completed, the installer wizard will open, after that follow the given steps to upgrade the server. 

1. Firstly, accept the given terms and conditions.
2. Next, the installed patch is detected by the installer. Click on the SQL Server instance that you wish to upgrade. 
3. Now, check if there are any issues before starting the patch update.
4. Finally, click on the Next button to finish the process. 

But in case the SQL Server patching doesn’t go as planned, the SQL Server’s data integrity comes at risk. To secure the database and recover any lost data, the database administrator must have a good disaster recovery plan. 

As we are solving all the issues, why not answer this one too? 

Expert Advice For Unsuccessful SQL Patch Installation

To resolve this issue of failed update patching scenario in the SQL Server, an advanced tool is a reliable solution. Like the SQL Database Recovery Tool, which helps to recover the SQL Server database after a corruption and also helps with recovery of the data. 

If you have tried to update the patch in the SQL Server, but due to some reasons failed to do so, and now compromised the data integrity. This is the must-have solution for you. 

Conclusion

The SQL Patch can be equally helpful and quite complex for the users to understand. So, here we have tried to simplify the concept along with explaining the types to make it easier for the users. Additionally, we have explained the method to install these update patches in SQL Server.