February 2023: Many updates for SQL Server
February 18th, 2023
February 2023: Many updates for SQL Server
February 18th, 2023
 
 

I don't manage the latest builds posts over at SQLPerformance anymore, and I'm not sure I want to carry any baton over here, but there were some important updates in February you should probably know about as they affect many different versions.

SQL Server 2022 Build Date Knowledge BaseKB Article Fixes
Cumulative Update #1 16.0.4003.1 2023-02-16 KB #5022375 198 / 64
  The long-awaited first CU followed very quickly on the heels of a GDR security update. You won't see this number published on the KB article, but there are 198 fixes in the CU. If you were holding off on a migration waiting for these fixes, your wait is over.
Security Update (GDR) 16.0.1050.5 2023-02-14 KB #5021522 11 / 6
  The GDR update is meant for folks who only want critical fixes and don't want to have to test all of the potential changes in CUs. Generally, I recommend against the GDR path, though Microsoft does occasionally make me question that guidance.
SQL Server 2019 Build Date Knowledge BaseKB Article Fixes
Cumulative Update #19 15.0.4298.1 2023-02-16 KB #5023049 72 / 46
Security Update (GDR) 15.0.2101.7 2023-02-14 KB #5021125 5 / 5
SQL Server 2017 Build Date Knowledge BaseKB Article Fixes
Security Update (CU) 14.0.3460.9 2023-02-14 KB #5021126 4 / 4
Security Update (GDR) 14.0.2047.8 2023-02-14 KB #5021127 4 / 4
SQL Server 2016 Build Date Knowledge BaseKB Article Fixes
Security Update (SP3+Azure) 13.0.7024.30 2023-02-14 KB #5021128 5 / 4
  This build is applicable if you have already installed the Azure connect feature pack for SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 3 and your @@VERSION currently yields >= 13.0.7000. If it's >= 13.0.6000 and < 13.0.7000, you may just want the update below. If it's < 13.0.6000, you should first apply Service Pack 3.
Security Update (SP3 GDR) 13.0.6430.49 2023-02-14 KB #5021129 5 / 4
SQL Server 2014 Build Date Knowledge BaseKB Article Fixes
Security Update (CU) 12.0.6444.4 2023-02-14 KB #5021045 4 / 4
Security Update (GDR) 12.0.6174.8 2023-02-14 KB #5021037 4 / 4

Client tools

There were also some updates for client tools.

Azure Data Studio

On February 10th, build 1.41.2 was published (download | release notes).

SSMS 19

On February 13th, build 19.0.1 was published (download | release notes).

I experienced an issue that many others have reported as well:

Unable to load DLL 'Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI.x86.dll': The specified module could not be found.

Cannot connect to <whatever>
Unable to load DLL 'Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNI.x86.dll': The specified module could not be found.
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E) (Microsoft.Data.SqlClient)

This can be due to the presence of a prior release of SSMS 19.0, older versions of SqlClient, or applying any of the above SQL Server updates after installing SSMS. For me, uninstalling and reinstalling SSMS solved the issue. However, if you had ever installed a preview version of SSMS 19.0, you may need to make sure it is completely uninstalled also.

By: Aaron Bertrand

I am a passionate technologist with industry experience dating back to Classic ASP and SQL Server 6.5. I am a long-time Microsoft MVP, write at Simple Talk, SQLPerformance, and MSSQLTips, and have had the honor of speaking at more conferences than I can remember. In non-tech life, I am a husband, a father of two, a huge hockey and football fan, and my pronouns are he/him.