Understanding SQL Server patching

Once you install SQL Server, you need to watch for future updates released by Microsoft. You can confirm which updates were installed to your server by checking the build number of the SQL Server deployment. You can find the build number in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), as you can see in the following screenshot, or via the SELECT @@VERSION command:

Fig. 2.1 – SQL Server Object Explorer (build version)

The build version of the currently installed SQL Server is 15.0.2070.41. We can parse this version into the following portions:

• 15–indicates we work with SQL Server 2019
• 2070.41—4517790 Servicing Update (GDR1) for SQL Server 2019 Release to Manufacturing (RTM)

  Note

  You can find a nice list of updates for all SQL Server versions at http://sqlserverbuilds.blogspot.com/ where you can identify the correct build of your SQL Server.

Based on the data...