After securing the media, the immediate plan should focus on testing your applications on a newer version of SQL Server (such as SQL Server 2019, 2022, or Azure SQL Managed Instance). While you can install SQL Server 2016 Standard today using the 64-bit ISO and update it to SP3, you are installing a product whose mainstream support period has ended. Use this installation strictly for . For production longevity, the only sustainable path is to upgrade before the July 14 deadline.
Before downloading the ISO, ensure your target server or virtual machine meets the minimum hardware and software prerequisites. Note that SQL Server 2016 is strictly a 64-bit application; 32-bit (x86) architectures are not supported for the database engine. Minimum Requirement Recommended 1.4 GHz (64-bit processor) 2.0 GHz or faster Processor Type sql server 2016 standard edition download 64bit iso upd