Merge pull request #36694 from MicrosoftDocs/main

Auto Publish – main to live - 2026-02-24 18:30 UTC

Author: learn-build-service-prod[bot]

.openpublishing.redirection.json

@@ -20285,6 +20285,11 @@
       "redirect_url": "/previous-versions/sql/2014/database-engine/log-shipping/upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql",
       "redirect_document_id": false
     },
+    {
+      "source_path": "docs/database-engine/log-shipping/upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql.md",
+      "redirect_url": "/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/upgrade-sql-server-log-shipping-transact-sql",
+      "redirect_document_id": false
+    },
     {
       "source_path": "docs/2014/database-engine/log-shipping/view-the-log-shipping-report-sql-server-management-studio.md",
       "redirect_url": "/previous-versions/sql/2014/database-engine/log-shipping/view-the-log-shipping-report-sql-server-management-studio",

azure-sql/managed-instance/replication-transactional-overview.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: Learn about using SQL Server transactional replication with Azure S
 author: MladjoA
 ms.author: mlandzic
 ms.reviewer: mathoma, randolphwest
-ms.date: 05/30/2025
+ms.date: 02/20/2026
 ms.service: azure-sql-managed-instance
 ms.subservice: data-movement
 ms.topic: concept-article
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ A value of `3` enforces TLS 1.3 connections to SQL managed instances, but has no
 
 ### Login `replAgentUser`
 
-For purposes of transactional replication, a SQL managed instance has a pre-created login(s) with the name `replAgentUser`. This login is a member of the `sysadmin` server role and is used by replication agents that need to connect to a SQL managed instance participating in transactional replication setup.
+Instances configured with a Distribution or Snapshot agent have the `replAgentUser` login created automatically. The Distribution and Snapshot agent use the `replAgentUser` login to connect to their respective database. For a push subscription, the login is created on the Distributor. For a pull or anonymous subscription, the login is created on the Subscriber. The login is a member of the fixed `db_owner` database role on the distribution or subscription database.
 
-If transactional replication is not used, the login `replAgentUser` can be disabled. It can be re-enabled later if you decide to start using transactional replication.
+The `replAgentUser` login is automatically created when the replication agent is started for the first time. The login is automatically dropped from Distributor when the [sp_dropdistributor](/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-dropdistributor-transact-sql) stored procedure is executed. The login is automatically dropped from Subscriber when the last pull or anonymous subscription is deleted. 
 
 ## Limitations
 

azure-sql/managed-instance/transact-sql-tsql-differences-sql-server.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: This article discusses the Transact-SQL (T-SQL) differences between
 author: danimir
 ms.author: danil
 ms.reviewer: mathoma, bonova, danil, randolphwest
-ms.date: 04/23/2025
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: azure-sql-managed-instance
 ms.subservice: service-overview
 ms.topic: reference
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ Some Windows-specific targets for Extended Events (XEvents) aren't supported:
 
 ### External libraries
 
-In-database R and Python external libraries are supported in limited public preview. See [Machine Learning Services in Azure SQL Managed Instance](machine-learning-services-overview.md).
+In-database R and Python external libraries are the only external libraries supported. See [Machine Learning Services in Azure SQL Managed Instance](machine-learning-services-overview.md).
 
 ### FILESTREAM and FileTable
 

azure-sql/managed-instance/vnet-subnet-determine-size.md

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Use the following parameters to help form a calculation:
 - Azure uses five IP addresses in the subnet for its own needs.
 - Each [VM group](virtual-cluster-architecture.md#number-of-vm-groups) allocates eight more addresses.
 - The number of addresses that each SQL managed instance uses, depends on the service tier.
-  - General Purpose SQL managed instance uses three addresses
+  - General Purpose SQL managed instance uses two addresses
   - Business Critical SQL managed instance uses five addresses
 - Each scaling request temporarily doubles the number of addresses allocated for the instance being scaled.
 

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/log-shipping-configure.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: This article teaches you to configure Log Shipping for your SQL Ser
 author: AbdullahMSFT
 ms.author: amamun
 ms.reviewer: mathoma, randolphwest
-ms.date: 02/26/2024
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
 ms.subservice: hadr
 ms.topic: how-to
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ ms.topic: how-to
 
 [!INCLUDE [appliesto-sqlvm](../../includes/appliesto-sqlvm.md)]
 
-This article teaches you to configure [log shipping](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/about-log-shipping-sql-server) between two [SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)](sql-server-on-azure-vm-iaas-what-is-overview.md). 
+This article teaches you to configure [log shipping](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/about-log-shipping-sql-server) between two [SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)](sql-server-on-azure-vm-iaas-what-is-overview.md).
 
 ## Overview
 
@@ -189,14 +189,14 @@ To configure log shipping, follow these steps:
 
    1. Under **History retention**, choose the length of time you want to retain a record of your log shipping history.
 
-   1. Select **OK** to save  your settings.
+   1. Select **OK** to save your settings.
 
 1. On the **Database Properties** dialog box, use **OK** to begin the configuration process.
 
 ## Related content
 
-- [Monitor log shipping](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/monitor-log-shipping-transact-sql)
-- [Upgrading Log Shipping to SQL Server 2016 (Transact-SQL)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql)
+- [Monitor Log Shipping (Transact-SQL)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/monitor-log-shipping-transact-sql)
+- [Upgrade SQL Server with log shipping (Transact-SQL)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/upgrade-sql-server-log-shipping-transact-sql)
 - [Add a Secondary Database to a Log Shipping Configuration (SQL Server)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/add-a-secondary-database-to-a-log-shipping-configuration-sql-server)
 - [Remove a Secondary Database from a Log Shipping Configuration (SQL Server)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/remove-a-secondary-database-from-a-log-shipping-configuration-sql-server)
 - [Remove Log Shipping (SQL Server)](/sql/database-engine/log-shipping/remove-log-shipping-sql-server)

docs/connect/odbc/windows/release-notes-odbc-sql-server-windows.md

@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ For the ARM64 driver: [Chinese (Simplified)](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?li
 | ConcatNullYieldsNull property | Added support for ConcatNullYieldsNull property as both a connection string property and a registry key option. |
 | New distribution supported | Added x86 support on Windows ARM64. |
 
+### Known issues in 18.6.1.1
+
+#### Terminator issue in bcp_bind
+
+When you use a terminator as the separator in `bcp_bind` for strings, two consecutive terminators in data can mean either a `NULL` value or an empty string. The ODBC driver can't distinguish between empty strings and null strings.
+
+- Before the 18.6.1.1 release, the ODBC driver interpreted consecutive terminators (zero-length data) as empty strings.
+- In the 18.6.1.1 release, the ODBC driver interprets zero-length data as a NULL value instead of an empty string.
+
 ## Previous Releases
 
 ## 18.5.2

docs/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/contained-availability-groups-overview.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: An overview of the contained availability group feature of Always O
 author: MashaMSFT
 ms.author: mathoma
 ms.reviewer: randolphwest
-ms.date: 01/27/2026
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: high-availability
 ms.topic: overview
@@ -194,12 +194,18 @@ To use change data capture with a contained AG, connect to the AG listener when
 
 ### Log shipping
 
-You can configure log shipping if the source database is in the contained AG. However, a log shipping target isn't supported within a contained AG. Additionally, you need to modify the log shipping job after you configure CDC.
+You can configure log shipping if the source database is in the contained AG. However, a log shipping target isn't supported within a contained AG. Additionally, you need to modify the log shipping job after you configure log shipping.
 
 To configure log shipping with a contained AG, follow these steps:
 
 1. Connect to the contained AG listener.
-1. Configure [log shipping](../../log-shipping/configure-log-shipping-sql-server.md) as you normally would.
+
+1. Configure [log shipping](../../log-shipping/configure-log-shipping-sql-server.md)
+
+    - Use `@primary_server_with_port_override` in [sp_add_log_shipping_primary_database](../../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-add-log-shipping-primary-database-transact-sql.md#primary-server-with-port-override).
+
+    - If you use a local monitor in your log shipping topology, leave the `@monitor_server` value in [sp_add_log_shipping_primary_database](../../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-add-log-shipping-primary-database-transact-sql.md#monitor-server) blank or *null*.
+
 1. After you configure the log shipping job, alter the job to connect to the contained AG listener before taking a backup.
 
 ### Transparent data encryption (TDE)

docs/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/prereqs-migrating-log-shipping-to-always-on-availability-groups.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "A description of the prerequisites necessary to convert log shippi
 author: MashaMSFT
 ms.author: mathoma
 ms.reviewer: maghan
-ms.date: 02/01/2024 
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: availability-groups
 ms.topic: checklist
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ After you have created all the secondary databases for the availability group, i
 
 **Log shipping**
 
-- [Upgrading Log Shipping to SQL Server 2016 (Transact-SQL)](../../../database-engine/log-shipping/upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql.md)
+- [Upgrade SQL Server with log shipping (Transact-SQL)](../../log-shipping/upgrade-sql-server-log-shipping-transact-sql.md)
 
 - [Remove Log Shipping (SQL Server)](../../../database-engine/log-shipping/remove-log-shipping-sql-server.md)
 
@@ -87,6 +87,6 @@ After you have created all the secondary databases for the availability group, i
 - [SQL Server Always On Team Blogs: The official SQL Server Always On Team Blog](/archive/blogs/sqlalwayson/)
 - [CSS SQL Server Engineers Blogs](/archive/blogs/psssql/)
 - [Migration Guide: Migrating to Always On Availability Groups from Prior Deployments Combining Database Mirroring and Log Shipping](/previous-versions/sql/sql-server-2012/jj635217(v=msdn.10))
-- [About Log Shipping (SQL Server)](../../../database-engine/log-shipping/about-log-shipping-sql-server.md)
-- [Overview of Always On Availability Groups (SQL Server)](../../../database-engine/availability-groups/windows/overview-of-always-on-availability-groups-sql-server.md)
-- [Monitoring of Availability Groups (SQL Server)](../../../database-engine/availability-groups/windows/monitoring-of-availability-groups-sql-server.md)
+- [About log shipping (SQL Server)](../../log-shipping/about-log-shipping-sql-server.md)
+- [What is an Always On availability group?](overview-of-always-on-availability-groups-sql-server.md)
+- [Tools to monitor Always On availability groups](monitoring-of-availability-groups-sql-server.md)

docs/database-engine/install-windows/choose-a-database-engine-upgrade-method.md

@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ title: Choose a Database Engine Upgrade Method
 description: This article describes upgrade paths for the Database Engine in SQL Server, including upgrade in-place, migrate to a new installation, and a rolling upgrade.
 author: rwestMSFT
 ms.author: randolphwest
-ms.date: 06/03/2025
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: install
 ms.topic: upgrade-and-migration-article
+ms.custom:
+  - sfi-image-nochange
 monikerRange: ">=sql-server-2016"
-ms.custom: sfi-image-nochange
 ---
 # Choose a Database Engine upgrade method
 
@@ -105,6 +106,6 @@ A rolling upgrade is required in [!INCLUDE [ssnoversion-md](../../includes/ssnov
 - Availability Groups: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrade availability group replicas](../availability-groups/windows/upgrading-always-on-availability-group-replica-instances.md)
 - Failover cluster instances: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrade a failover cluster instance](../../sql-server/failover-clusters/windows/upgrade-a-sql-server-failover-cluster-instance.md)
 - Mirrored instances: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrading Mirrored Instances](../database-mirroring/upgrading-mirrored-instances.md)
-- Log shipping instances: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrading Log Shipping to SQL Server 2016 (Transact-SQL)](../log-shipping/upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql.md)
+- Log shipping instances: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrade SQL Server with log shipping (Transact-SQL)](../log-shipping/upgrade-sql-server-log-shipping-transact-sql.md)
 - A replication environment: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrade or patch replicated databases](upgrade-replicated-databases.md)
 - A [!INCLUDE [ssnoversion-md](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] [!INCLUDE [ssrsnoversion-md](../../includes/ssrsnoversion-md.md)] scale-out environment: For detailed steps for performing a rolling upgrade in this environment, see [Upgrade and migrate Reporting Services](../../reporting-services/install-windows/upgrade-and-migrate-reporting-services.md)

docs/database-engine/log-shipping/about-log-shipping-sql-server.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Learn about SQL Server log shipping, which sends transaction log ba
 author: MikeRayMSFT
 ms.author: mikeray
 ms.reviewer: randolphwest
-ms.date: 11/18/2025
+ms.date: 02/23/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: log-shipping
 ms.topic: concept-article
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ Log shipping can be used with the following features or components of [!INCLUDE
 
 ## Related tasks
 
-- [Upgrading Log Shipping to SQL Server 2016 (Transact-SQL)](upgrading-log-shipping-to-sql-server-2016-transact-sql.md)
+- [Upgrade SQL Server with log shipping (Transact-SQL)](upgrade-sql-server-log-shipping-transact-sql.md)
 - [Configure Log Shipping (SQL Server)](configure-log-shipping-sql-server.md)
 - [Add a Secondary Database to a Log Shipping Configuration (SQL Server)](add-a-secondary-database-to-a-log-shipping-configuration-sql-server.md)
 - [Remove a Secondary Database from a Log Shipping Configuration (SQL Server)](remove-a-secondary-database-from-a-log-shipping-configuration-sql-server.md)