Once you install SQL Server, you need to watch for future updates released by Microsoft. You can recognize what updates were installed to your server by checking the build number of the SQL Server. You can find the build number in the SQL Server Management Studio as you can see in the following screenshot or via the SELECT @@VERSION command. There are several types of updates released for SQL Server:
- Service packs
- Cumulative updates
- Security updates
Service packs are usually the largest update option for your SQL Server. They frequently include updates released by more cumulative updates and should be tested more thoroughly regarding performance and stability of the system. It's also important to keep your environment with recent service packs due to system support by Microsoft. Service packs not only fix issues, but often also bring new...
