Supported version & edition upgrades (SQL Server 2016)
Applies to: 
SQL Server - Windows only
You can upgrade from SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x), SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), and SQL Server 2014 (12.x). This article lists the supported upgrade paths from these SQL Server versions, and the supported edition upgrades for SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
Pre upgrade Checklist
Before upgrading from one edition of SQL Server 2016 (13.x) to another, verify that the functionality you're currently using is supported in the edition to which you're moving.
Before upgrading SQL Server, enable Windows Authentication for SQL Server Agent and verify the default configuration that the SQL Server Agent service account is a member of the SQL Server sysadmin group.
To upgrade to SQL Server 2016 (13.x), you must be running a supported operating system. For more information, see SQL Server 2016 and 2017: Hardware and software requirements.
Upgrade is blocked if there's a pending restart.
Upgrade is blocked if the Windows Installer service isn't running.
Unsupported Scenarios
Cross-version instances of SQL Server 2016 (13.x) aren't supported. Version numbers of the Database Engine, Analysis Services, and Reporting Services components must be the same in an instance of SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) is only available for 64-bit platforms. Cross-platform upgrade isn't supported. You can't upgrade a 32-bit instance of SQL Server to native 64-bit using SQL Server Setup. However, you can back up or detach databases from a 32-bit instance of SQL Server, and then restore or attach them to a new instance of SQL Server (64-bit) if the databases aren't published in replication. You must re-create any logins and other user objects in
master,msdb, andmodelsystem databases.You can't add new features during the upgrade of your existing instance of SQL Server. After you upgrade an instance of SQL Server to SQL Server 2016 (13.x), you can add features by using the SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Setup. For more information, see Add Features to an Instance of SQL Server (Setup).
Failover Clusters aren't supported in WOW mode.
Upgrade from an Evaluation edition of a previous SQL Server version isn't supported.
When upgrading from RC1 or previous versions of SQL Server 2016 to RC3 or later versions, PolyBase must be uninstalled before the upgrade and reinstalled after the upgrade.
Upgrades from Earlier Versions to SQL Server 2016 (13.x)
SQL Server 2016 supports upgrade from the following versions of SQL Server:
- SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 or later
- SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 or later
- SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 or later
- SQL Server 2014 (12.x) or later
Note
To upgrade databases on SQL Server 2005 (9.x) see Support for 2005.
The table below lists the supported upgrade scenarios from earlier versions of SQL Server to SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
| Upgrade from | Supported upgrade path |
|---|---|
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Enterprise | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Developer | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Standard | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Small Business | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Web | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Workgroup | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) SP4 Express | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Datacenter | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Enterprise | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Developer | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Small Business | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Standard | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Web | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Workgroup | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) SP3 Express | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Enterprise | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Developer | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Standard | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP1 Web | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Express | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Business Intelligence | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2012 (11.x) SP2 Evaluation | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Evaluation SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Enterprise | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Developer | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Standard | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Web | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Express | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Business Intelligence | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Evaluation | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Evaluation SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) release candidate* | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
* Microsoft support to upgrade from release candidate software is specifically for customers who participated in the Technology Adoption Program (TAP).
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Support for SQL Server 2005 (9.x)
This section discusses SQL Server 2016 (13.x) support for SQL Server 2005 (9.x). In SQL Server 2016 (13.x), you'll be able to do the following:
Attach a SQL Server 2005 (9.x) database (mdf/ldf files) to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) instance of database engine.
Restore a SQL Server 2005 (9.x) database to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) instance of database engine from a backup.
Back up a SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS) cube and restoring on SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
Note
When a SQL Server 2005 (9.x) database is upgraded to SQL Server 2016 (13.x), the database compatibility level will be changed from 90 to 100.
In SQL Server 2016 (13.x), valid values for the database compatibility level are 100, 110, 120, and 130. ALTER DATABASE (Transact-SQL) compatibility level discusses how the compatibility level change could affect SQL Server applications.
Any scenarios not specified in the list above aren't supported, including but not limited to the following:
Installing SQL Server 2005 (9.x) and SQL Server 2016 (13.x) on same computer (side by side).
Using a SQL Server 2005 (9.x) instance as a member of the replication topology that involves a SQL Server 2016 (13.x) instance.
Configuring database mirroring between SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and SQL Server 2005 (9.x) instances.
Backing up the transaction log with log shipping between SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and SQL Server 2005 (9.x) instances.
Configuring linked servers between SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and SQL Server 2005 (9.x) instances.
Managing a SQL Server 2005 (9.x) instance from a SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Management Studio.
Attaching a SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS) cube in SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Management Studio.
Connecting to SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) from SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Management Studio.
Managing a SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) service from SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Management Studio.
Support for SQL Server 2005 (9.x) third party custom Integration Services components, such as execute and upgrade.
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Edition Upgrade
The following table lists the supported edition upgrade scenarios in SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
For step-by-step instructions on how to perform an edition upgrade, see Upgrade to a different edition of SQL Server (Setup).
| Upgrade From | Upgrade To |
|---|---|
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL and Core)** | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Evaluation Enterprise** | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License) SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web Upgrading from Evaluation (a free edition) to any of the paid editions is supported for stand-alone installations, but isn't supported for clustered installations. This limitation doesn't apply to stand-alone instances installed on a Windows Failover Cluster participating in an availability group. |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard** | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License) |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer** | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License) SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License) SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express* | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License) SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Web |
Additionally you can also perform an edition upgrade between SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL license) and SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Core License):
| Edition Upgrade From | Edition Upgrade To |
|---|---|
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL License)** | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Core License) |
| SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Core License) | SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise (Server+CAL License) |
* Also applies to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express with Tools and SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Express with Advanced Services.
** Changing the edition of a SQL Server 2016 (13.x) failover cluster is limited. The following scenarios aren't supported for SQL Server 2016 (13.x) failover clusters:
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Enterprise to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer, Standard, or Evaluation.
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Developer to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard or Evaluation.
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Evaluation.
SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Evaluation to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Standard.