Official documentation showing RTM is simply the first release official release of the software version SQL Server Standard

Brandi Grow 1 Reputation point
2020-09-10T12:17:48.95+00:00

Good day. I am in a bit of a pickle. A software vendor is claiming that the version of SQL Server that was installed was not SQL Server Standard because the vendor executes a select query for version "select @@version" and the resulting display string shows "RTM". I am looking for official documentation that would prove that when the string "RTM" shows up that it does not demonstrate that the version is not Standard addition but simply the first release of SQL Server Standard Edition without any hotfixes, cumulative updates, service packs,..., etc. Can anyone please help with an official link to Microsoft documentation. Before I am lectured by anyone about the obviousness of this question please understand that I understand that this is simply an understood naming convention. The problem is that I am unable to find an official answer from Microsoft that strongly implies or demonstrates that RTM does not imply a different version of SQL Server was installed. Without that documentation, I will be unable to refute the vendor's claim that we did not install SQL Server Standard.

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  1. Shashank Singh 6,251 Reputation points
    2020-09-10T12:39:57.967+00:00

    A software vendor is claiming that the version of SQL Server that was installed was not SQL Server Standard because the vendor executes a select query for version "select @@version" and the resulting display string shows "RTM"

    Ah I can understand your frustration, fortunately you are absolutely correct and the other person is totally wrong. RTM means "release to manufacture" and has nothing to do with edition of SQl Server which is primarily enterprise, standard etc. The SQL Server released first time is called RC ( Release Candidate) which is beta version released for testing and should not be used in production. When officially it is released first time for production its is RTM version. So both Standard and enterprise can be RTM version.

    If you see this official doc for Exchange Server

    In the following sections, RTM stands for release to manufacturing (the first version of the product).

    In other SQL Server 2019 Release note it is written

    The RTM build number for SQL Server 2019 is 15.0.2000.5.

    It does not says standard or Enterprise.

    Does that suffice ?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
  2. Olaf Helper 45,101 Reputation points
    2020-09-10T12:42:38.1+00:00

    RTM has nothing to do with the Edition of SQL Server, more with it's lifecycle

    RTM stands for "Ready to manufacturing", see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#Release_to_manufacturing_(RTM)

    Other lifecyle periods a service packs = SP

    1 person found this answer helpful.
  3. Tom Phillips 17,741 Reputation points
    2020-09-10T14:38:24.097+00:00

    Your vendor may have mis-spoken. As others have said "RTM" is a "version" not an "edition".

    However, there are no supported "RTM" VERSIONS (without patches) of SQL Server. Your vendor is probably trying to say you must install the most current patches to bring your SQL Server to a supported "version".

    Please see:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/321185/how-to-determine-the-version-edition-and-update-level-of-sql-server-an

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  4. Erland Sommarskog 112.7K Reputation points MVP
    2020-09-10T22:02:16.127+00:00

    But for crying out loud... the edition is on the fourth line in the output from SELECT @@version. Can't you point the braindead vendor to this line?

    Tom suggests that the vendor thinks that you need make sure that you are on the most recent patch. However, starting with SQL 2017 there are no service packs, so it will always say RTM. together with the CU level.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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