On November 14, 2024, Microsoft released SQL Server 2022 Cumulative Update 16. This is Build 16.0.4165.4. By Microsoft’s count, there are 16 public fixes and improvements in this CU, so it has about an average number of fixes. This is not unexpected since SQL Server 2022 has been out for about two years now.
It is always a good idea to read through the matching CU KB article to see more information about each fix and improvement. There are a couple of interesting fixes and improvements in this CU. For example:
- Fixes a patching error that you encounter in secondary replicas of an availability group with databases that have SQL replication, change data capture (CDC), or SQL Server Integration Services database (SSISDB) enabled.
- Fixes incorrect results that you might encounter when you use the contained availability group (AG) and remove plans for a specific object by altering it from either a contained AG or non-contained AG connection. When you make changes from a contained AG or non-contained AG connection, the other connection continues to use the old plan for the altered object until it’s manually removed from the plan cache.
I continue to be somewhat frustrated by the very sparse documentation for many fixes and improvements.
Personally, I think most organizations are far better off being on the “CU Train” rather than the “GDR Train”. With the CU Train, you get bug fixes, product improvements and security updates.
On the GDR Train, you usually only get security updates. You will miss out on all of the general bug fixes and product improvements if you stay on the GDR Train.
This latest SQL Server 2022 CU is actually a little early (based on Microsoft’s public guidance about how SQL Server is serviced), which is a welcome surprise.
No Service Packs for SQL Server 2022
SQL Server 2017 and newer does not have any Service Packs. Microsoft is not using Service Packs any longer as a servicing mechanism for SQL Server, only Cumulative Updates or GDR releases.
During the first year that SQL Server 2022 was GA, Microsoft was supposed to release a new CU every month. After the first year, this changed to a new CU every two months, until SQL Server 2022 falls out of Mainstream Support on January 11, 2028. When SQL Server 2022 falls out of Mainstream Support, there won’t be any more cumulative updates, only GDR security fixes.
Final Words
SQL Server cumulative updates are actually cumulative, which might seem obvious from the name. This means that when you install SQL Server 2022 CU16, you get all the previous updates that were in all of the earlier cumulative updates (plus all of the GDR fixes).
Despite some stumbles by Microsoft, I am still a big proponent of trying to keep your SQL Server instances as up to date as possible. That does not mean throwing a new CU into Production the day it is released, but it also does not mean avoiding patching SQL Server indefinitely either. You really are better off trying to stay as current as possible on your SQL Server 2022 builds.
Here is Microsoft’s official guidance:
- SQL Server CUs are certified to the same levels as Service Packs, and should be installed at the same level of confidence.
- Historical data shows that a significant number of support cases involve an issue that has already been addressed in a released CU.
- CUs may contain added value over and above hotfixes. This includes supportability, manageability, and reliability updates.
If you have any questions about this post, please ask me here in the comments or on Blue Sky. I am pretty active on Blue Sky as GlennAlanBerry. Thanks for reading!