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 from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation.
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. The last patch it will ever receive is 6.50.480, published October 7, 2005 — 3 years and 9 months after the published end-of-life date. It has been without security patches for 24 years and 8 months. 34 newer Microsoft SQL Server releases have shipped since.
Commercial vendors offer security patches beyond EOL. Compare your options.
Compare Options →| Version | Latest | EOL Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 'SQL95' SP3 | 6.0.151 | Mar 31, 1999 | EOL |
| → 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a | 6.50.480 | Jan 1, 2002 | EOL |
| 7.0 'Sphinx' SP4 | 7.0.1152 | Jan 11, 2011 | EOL |
| 2000 'Shiloh' SP4 | 8.0.2305 QFE | Apr 9, 2013 | EOL |
| 2005 'Yukon' | 9.0.1399 | Jul 10, 2007 | EOL |
| 2005 'Yukon' SP1 | 9.0.2233 | Apr 8, 2008 | EOL |
| 2005 'Yukon' SP2 | 9.00.3325 CU13 | Jan 12, 2010 | EOL |
| 2008 'Katmai' | 10.00.1835 CU10 | Apr 13, 2010 | EOL |
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: Most vulnerability scanners check for known CVEs but do not flag the ongoing accumulation of unpatched vulnerabilities in EOL software versions. Running Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 'Hydra' SP5a past its EOL date creates a permanently growing attack surface that standard security tooling will not surface.
Migrate to Microsoft SQL Server 2025 or implement compensating controls — network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, restricted access — while migration is underway.