SQL Server 2005 Cumulative Updates Released

I am really beginning to enjoy the predictable release cycle of the Incremental Servicing Model for SQL Server. Yesterday we saw the release of the next updates for SQL Server 2005:

Cumulative Update #2 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3

Cumulative Update #12 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2

My recommendation would be update your SQL Server 2005 systems to Service Pack 3 at the very least but check out the details of the Incremental Servicing Model for SQL Server and make the choice for yourself.

More importantly lets start thinking about our approach to servicing SQL Server more holistically, I am still far too often confronted with knee jerk patching practices where updates are only applied when issues are encountered. Database environments that have multiple build numbers with no real understanding on how and why they are where they are on the patch lifecycle are still not uncommon. I like to think the SQL Server community is a mature one, lets demonstrate that through predictable and well thought through patching practices.

<Gary>