Outdated, out of support versions of Microsoft SQL Server and Qlik Cloud Analytics

[Sonja_Bauernfeind]

Qlik Cloud (Qlik Sense) is incompatible with outdated and non-supported versions of Microsoft SQL Server and cannot utilize them as a data source.

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 and earlier are not supported by Microsoft (see SQL Server lifecycle dates). If you are unclear which version of SQL Server you have, use one of the methods described in this Microsoft article.

The Qlik Cloud Analytics connector for Microsoft SQL Server officially supports versions 2014 through 2019. 

To continue using the Microsoft SQL Server connector in Qlik Cloud Analytics you must ensure that your environment is on a supported Microsoft SQL Server version within a supported version of the operating system. For reference and details, review the Microsoft online documentation pages on how to upgrade SQL Server.

You also have the option to move your on-premises Microsoft SQL Server to Azure SQL Database. This cloud version uses the same database engine, which is continuously improved and upgraded in Microsoft Azure. Qlik Cloud Analytics already has a dedicated connector for Azure SQL Database.

This issue with older versions of Microsoft SQL Server is an excellent example of why Qlik recommends that sources being accessed by Qlik Cloud Analytics are kept up-to-date. Using a recent version enables you to:

• Protect your data with the latest security updates.  Not just within the database, but also in the protocols used in the data connection to external platforms
• Take advantage of new capabilities and new features, as well as general improvements like performance
• Proactively ensure compatibility with other environments and platforms when they get updated

If you are affected by this change or have any questions, please contact our Qlik Support representatives through chat. 

Environment:

Qlik Cloud 

[Jordi]

Hi  @Sonja_Bauernfeind thanks for your response.

I've cheked all the logs as you said, but i'm not able to know what actually happen.

I've also searched in knowladge base, with no results.

Any ideas about it?

[Sonja_Bauernfeind]

Hello @Jordi 

At this point, it may be best to contact support and have them actively assist you on this, especially if the previously linked articles have not helped you resolve the issue. Let support know what you have already tried (the articles shown) and provide all relevant logs.

All the best,
Sonja 

[Jordi]

Hi @Sonja_Bauernfeind 

Yes, I did it. Yesterday I opened a support ticket in order to explain the current situation and we are in touch discussing about it.

Anyway, many thanks for your support.

[rafalbar]

Hello @Sonja_Bauernfeind,

I wanted to share that I'm currently using the Data Gateway to connect with SQL Server 2008 and 2012. This has been our go-to approach since the beginning, and our SQL servers are set up behind our company's firewall. So far, everything's been working well.

In your recent comment, you mentioned:

"It is currently also possible to use the Gateway, and, for some customers, this route may be easier to implement. However, it is likely to be a much shorter-term solution, as you will need to keep the Gateway updated continuously and will therefore be more likely to run into a similar issue with incompatibility with the older (outdated) versions of Microsoft SQL Server (and Windows Server) much sooner than with Qlik Data Transfer."

So, just to clarify, does the announcement about the end of support only affect the "non-gateway" version of the connector? I noticed that there's an exclamation mark next to the "non-gateway" connector, indicating the end of support for connections to SQL Server 2012 and older versions. Interestingly, the "gateway" version of the connector doesn't carry this mark. However, our partner informed us that both connectors will be impacted by the end of support. This has left me a bit puzzled, especially because our gateway was updated just two days ago to the latest version, and it's still functioning without any issues. I'm finding this situation quite confusing.

Would you happen to have any insights into this? I'm a bit hesitant to go back to using Data Transfer – we used it before the gateway was available, and it was quite a challenging and problematic solution.

I really appreciate your help and any clarification you can provide.

Warm regards,

[Sonja_Bauernfeind]

Hello @rafalbar At this point, the change only affects the Qlik Cloud Analytics connector.  Gateway and Transfer can be used as workarounds (for now). It does not change how the 2012 version is out of date and unsupported (you will only find 2014 to 2022 listed) and we can therefore not guarantee compatibility in the future.

All the best,
Sonja