Enhanced Performance and Security: Amazon RDS for SQL Server Welcomes Latest Cumulative Updates and General Distribution Releases
Seattle, WA – August 6, 2025 – Amazon Web Services (AWS) today announced a significant enhancement to Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) for Microsoft SQL Server, with the introduction of support for Cumulative Update (CU) 20 for SQL Server 2022, and General Distribution Releases (GDRs) for SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019. This update underscores AWS’s commitment to providing customers with access to the latest features, performance improvements, and critical security patches for their Microsoft SQL Server databases running on the cloud.
This latest release empowers customers to leverage the most up-to-date capabilities of their SQL Server environments within Amazon RDS. By providing support for these new updates, AWS ensures that customers can benefit from a more robust, secure, and performant database experience, enabling them to focus on their core business objectives rather than on database patching and maintenance.
Key Benefits of this Announcement:
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Access to Latest Features and Performance Enhancements: Cumulative Updates and General Distribution Releases often include performance optimizations, new features, and improvements to existing functionalities. By supporting CU20 for SQL Server 2022 and GDRs for older versions, Amazon RDS for SQL Server users can now take advantage of these advancements directly within the managed service environment. This can lead to faster query execution, improved resource utilization, and a more responsive database for critical applications.
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Strengthened Security Posture: A cornerstone of these updates is the incorporation of the latest security patches and vulnerability fixes. By supporting these new releases, AWS enables customers to maintain a strong security posture for their sensitive data. This proactive approach to security is vital in today’s ever-evolving threat landscape, ensuring that databases are protected against potential risks.
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Streamlined Database Management: Amazon RDS simplifies the process of managing relational databases. With the addition of these new updates, customers can easily apply the latest SQL Server patches and updates through the familiar RDS console or via the AWS CLI and SDKs. This managed approach reduces the operational burden on IT teams, allowing them to allocate resources more efficiently.
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Continued Support for a Wide Range of SQL Server Versions: This announcement reinforces AWS’s dedication to supporting a broad spectrum of Microsoft SQL Server versions. The inclusion of GDRs for SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019 demonstrates a commitment to customers who may still be utilizing these versions, offering them a clear path to incorporate essential updates without the complexity of manual upgrades.
What This Means for Amazon RDS for SQL Server Customers:
Customers currently running SQL Server 2022 on Amazon RDS can now seamlessly upgrade to CU20, benefiting from the latest refinements and security measures. Similarly, organizations utilizing SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019 can now apply the latest General Distribution Releases, ensuring their databases are up-to-date with critical security fixes and stability improvements.
This initiative by AWS highlights the value proposition of Amazon RDS for SQL Server – a fully managed database service that handles routine database tasks, allowing businesses to innovate and scale with confidence. By staying at the forefront of Microsoft SQL Server updates, AWS continues to provide a compelling platform for organizations looking to migrate or modernize their database workloads.
For detailed guidance on applying these updates to your Amazon RDS for SQL Server instances, please refer to the official AWS documentation.
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Amazon published ‘Amazon RDS now supports Cumulative Update CU20 for Microsoft SQL Server 2022, and General Distribution Releases for Microsoft SQL Server 2016, 2017 and 2019.’ at 2025-08-06 18:53. Please write a detailed article about this news in a polite tone with relevant information. Please reply in English with the article only.