Organizations running SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 now have a little more time to upgrade, as extended support for SQL Server 2012, including the R2 version, expires on July 12, 2022, and extended support for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 until October 2023.
Companies are still strongly advised to consider upgrading to brand new versions of the Windows server, which is bound to at least Windows Server 2019 and supports SQL Server 2016 and 2017, plus offering them new options such as operating SQL Server in containers.
Those with a strong reason not to opt for new Windows Server and SQL Server updates should run their servers on a virtual machine on Azure, one of the cheapest ways to receive extended support, while enjoying free ESUs for three years after the end of extended support.
For more information, read the original story in Tech Republic