There are very few who live on the bleeding edge or stay 100% up-to-date. That means the majority of technology deployments in the world – physical, virtual, or in the cloud – are behind. How much they lag is always the question. Is it a few updates? A few major versions? Something from the Jurassic era of computing? This phenomenon is not just a SQL Server problem; it affects everything SQL Server touches directly or indirectly (operating systems, hardware, applications, etc.). The alternative is not a place anyone should be; without updating or upgrading, you may be out of support, miss bug fixes, increase security risk, or more. This session will discuss how to approach this complex challenge for modern systems and solutions. You will understand how we got here, demystify scare tactics companies use versus reality, and learn practical tips on how to start untangling the web of dependencies to patching and upgrade success as well as reduce technical debt.

You will learn:

• Learn how to minimize downtime
• Understand the difference between patching and upgrading
• Learn how to minimize technical debt