Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a · Version Status
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a End of Life Date
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a end-of-life date, support status, and CVE risk. Data reconciled from official vendor documentation and endoflife.date at every build; the source of each date is on the product page.
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Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a is past end of life. This version no longer receives security patches. 9076 days past EOL — migrate to a supported version immediately.
EOL Date
Jan 1, 2002
9076 days past EOL
Latest Release
6.50.480
Standard release
Release Date
Dec 24, 1998
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a series
Where these dates come from
End of lifeJan 1, 2002endoflife.date (open dataset) · endoflife.datemedium · 1 source agrees End of active supportJan 1, 2002endoflife.date (open dataset) · endoflife.datemedium · 1 source agrees ReleaseDec 24, 1998endoflife.date (open dataset) · endoflife.datemedium · 1 source agrees Confidence: high = two or more independent sources agree (the vendor's page read by our adapter, a person's check against the vendor, the dataset the date came from); medium = one; low = the vendor page disagrees or our last read is stale.
How we source dates.
Lifecycle detail
Microsoft SQL Server 6.50-sp5a was released on December 24, 1998 and support ended on January 1, 2002 — a supported lifespan of 3 years, in line with the 3 years and 3 months median for Microsoft SQL Server releases. Its latest release on record is 6.50.480, published October 7, 2005 — 3 years and 9 months after the published end-of-life date. It has been past its end-of-life date for 24 years and 11 months. 34 newer Microsoft SQL Server releases have shipped since.
Attack Surface
10/30 Medium tier
CISA KEV Exposure
20/20 Named in CISA KEV
Extended Support
0/10 Available
EOL Risk Score™ — proprietary methodology by endoflife.ai. Factors: EOL recency, attack surface breadth, CISA KEV catalog presence, extended support availability. Updated at every build.
Methodology → ·
View score card →
Extended Support
Extended Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a support options
Some vendors and third parties sell security patches beyond end of life; whether one covers this version varies. Compare your options.
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All Microsoft SQL Server Versions
What does Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a end of life mean?
When Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a reaches end of life, the maintainers stop issuing security patches for this version. CVEs discovered after the EOL date are publicly disclosed on the National Vulnerability Database with no patch available. Exploit code frequently appears on GitHub within days of disclosure.
The CVE blind spot: A CVE-based scan does not show the ongoing accumulation of unpatched vulnerabilities in EOL software versions. Some scanners flag unsupported versions of common products, but coverage varies, and none of them give you the date in advance. Running Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a past its EOL date creates a growing attack surface that a clean scan result does not rule out.
Migrate to Microsoft SQL Server 2025 or implement compensating controls — network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, restricted access — while migration is underway.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a reach end of life?
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a reached end of life on January 1, 2002. This version is no longer receiving security patches.
Is Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a still supported?
No. Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a reached end of life on January 1, 2002 and is no longer receiving security patches.
What should I upgrade to from Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a?
The recommended upgrade from Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a is
Microsoft SQL Server 2025 — the latest actively supported version. Check the
Microsoft SQL Server full timeline for all supported versions.
What are the security risks of running Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a past EOL?
Since Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a reached end of life, the maintainers no longer issue security patches. Any CVEs disclosed after the EOL date accumulate with no vendor fix. A CVE-based scan does not show this — it is the CVE blind spot; some scanners flag unsupported versions of common products, but coverage varies and none give the date in advance. Organizations running EOL Microsoft SQL Server should migrate immediately or implement compensating controls.