Will we need to upgrade SQL Server for Lync Server 2013?

Welcome back everyone! It’s a new year, and time for new Lync Insider posts.

We’ll start today with a short one on Lync Server 2013 (because I have many, many emails to catch up on!)

Last month I asked a quick question – is SQL Server 2012 required to run Lync Server 2013?

If you’re wondering too, the answer is…No. But a 64-bit edition of SQL Server IS required.

Step Right Up and Pick Your Database Version, All Accepted

Lync Server 2013 (Enterprise Edition) can use the following versions of SQL Server:

SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition
SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition
SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition
SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition

But no matter which version you choose, it must be 64-bit. Like the rest of Lync Server.

(There’s also SQL Server Express, but it comes with Standard Edition so you don’t need to worry about it.)

And make sure you stay consistent! Don’t try to use a SQL Server 2008 database for the backend, and then install SQL Server 2012 for Monitoring. You’ll end up with DB issues aplenty (and I don’t even think mirroring will work!).

Can You Upgrade? Then Go For It! If Not, Wait a While

In our Lync Server installations, we’ve been moving toward SQL Server 2012 most of the time. Even on servers running Windows Server 2008. The performance is just smoother.

So if you can work a SQL upgrade in, by all means! It’ll do nothing but help. But if it’s too early in the year and you need to wait, that’s okay too.

Here is some reference documentation for you, on configuring SQL Server for use with Lync Server 2013.
Configure SQL Server for Lync Server 2013 – Microsoft TechNet

Which database server are you using (or planning to use) for Lync Server 2013?