Merge pull request #36572 from MicrosoftDocs/main

Auto Publish – main to live - 2026-02-06 18:30 UTC

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

docs/sql-server/azure-arc/extended-security-updates.md

@@ -240,11 +240,15 @@ To properly manage this transition, use the following sequence of best practices
 
 <a id="vl-sku-transition"></a>
 
-## Manage the transition from an ESU license purchased through Volume Licensing to an ESU subscription
+## Transition from a Volume Licensing ESU license to an ESU subscription
 
-When you enable an ESU subscription, bill-back charges start from the beginning of the current ESU year. You must have purchased the previous years to proceed. In that scenario, the transition happens automatically.
+When you enable an ESU subscription, Azure billing begins at the start of the current ESU year. To transition without additional action, you must already have ESU coverage for all prior ESU years through Volume Licensing. When this condition is met, the transition occurs automatically.
 
-If you want to enable an ESU subscription during an ESU year for which you have already purchased an ESU license through Volume Licensing, you must take additional steps to ensure that the bill-back is adjusted accordingly. Before activating the ESU subscription in this case, open a support ticket using the subcategory `Issues with SQL Server Extended Security Updates`.
+If you do not have ESU coverage for previous years through Volume Licensing, you must obtain it to remain compliant. If instead you want to pay for prior ESU years through Azure billing, additional configuration is required.
+
+For guidance on enabling Azure-based billing for prior ESU years, contact your Microsoft account team or open a support request using the following path:
+
+**Azure → SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc → Licensing, Billing, or Disconnected Registration Issues → SQL Server (ESU versions only)**
 
 <a id="esu-usage-metering"></a>
 

docs/t-sql/functions/json-value-transact-sql.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: JSON_VALUE extracts a scalar value from a JSON string.
 author: WilliamDAssafMSFT
 ms.author: wiassaf
 ms.reviewer: jovanpop, umajay, randolphwest
-ms.date: 10/27/2025
+ms.date: 02/05/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: t-sql
 ms.topic: reference
@@ -25,56 +25,77 @@ monikerRange: "=azuresqldb-current || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 |
 
 [!INCLUDE [sqlserver2016-asdb-asdbmi-asa-fabricse-fabricdw-fabricsqldb](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver2016-asdb-asdbmi-asa-fabricse-fabricdw-fabricsqldb.md)]
 
-The `JSON_VALUE` syntax extracts a scalar value from a JSON string.
+Use the `JSON_VALUE` syntax to extract a scalar value from a JSON string.
 
 To extract an object or an array from a JSON string instead of a scalar value, see [JSON_QUERY](json-query-transact-sql.md). For info about the differences between `JSON_VALUE` and `JSON_QUERY`, see [Compare JSON_VALUE and JSON_QUERY](../../relational-databases/json/validate-query-and-change-json-data-with-built-in-functions-sql-server.md#JSONCompare).
 
 :::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: [Transact-SQL syntax conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)
 
 ## Syntax
 
+::: moniker range="<=sql-server-linux-ver16 || <=sql-server-ver16"
+
+Syntax for [!INCLUDE [sssql22-md](../../includes/sssql22-md.md)] and earlier versions.
+
+```syntaxsql
+JSON_VALUE ( expression , path )
+```
+
+::: moniker-end
+
+::: moniker range=">=sql-server-linux-ver17 || >=sql-server-ver17"
+
+Syntax for [!INCLUDE [sssql25-md](../../includes/sssql25-md.md)] and later versions.
+
 ```syntaxsql
 JSON_VALUE ( expression , path [ RETURNING data_type ] )
 ```
 
+> [!NOTE]  
+> In [!INCLUDE [sssql22-md](../../includes/sssql22-md.md)] and earlier versions, [RETURNING isn't included](?view=sql-server-ver16&preserve-view=true#syntax).
+
+::: moniker-end
+
 ## Arguments
 
 #### *expression*
 
-An expression. Typically the name of a variable or a column that contains JSON text.
+An expression that's typically the name of a variable or a column containing JSON text.
 
 If `JSON_VALUE` finds JSON that isn't valid in *expression* before it finds the value identified by *path*, the function returns an error. If `JSON_VALUE` doesn't find the value identified by *path*, it scans the entire text and returns an error if it finds JSON that isn't valid anywhere in *expression*.
 
 #### *path*
 
-A JSON path that specifies the property to extract. For more info, see [JSON Path Expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md).
+`A JSON` path that specifies the property to extract. For more info, see [JSON path expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md).
 
 In [!INCLUDE [sssql17-md](../../includes/sssql17-md.md)] and in [!INCLUDE [ssazure-sqldb](../../includes/ssazure-sqldb.md)], you can provide a variable as the value of *path*.
 
 If the format of *path* isn't valid, `JSON_VALUE` returns an error.
 
 #### *data_type*
 
-Return the value specified in the SQL type. Only supported if the input is a JSON type. The supported SQL types are: **tinyint**, **smallint**, **int**, **bigint**, **decimal**, **numeric**, **float**, **real**, **char**, **varchar**, **varchar(max)**, **nchar**, **nvarchar**, **nvarchar(max)**, **date**, **time**, **datetime2**, and **datetimeoffset**.
+The data type that you want to use for the return value. This type is only supported if the input is a JSON type. The supported data types are: **tinyint**, **smallint**, **int**, **bigint**, **decimal**, **numeric**, **float**, **real**, **char**, **varchar**, **varchar(max)**, **nchar**, **nvarchar**, **nvarchar(max)**, **date**, **time**, **datetime2**, and **datetimeoffset**.
 
 ## Return value
 
-If `RETURNING` isn't included:
+**Applies to**: [!INCLUDE [sssql25-md](../../includes/sssql25-md.md)] and later versions.
+
+If you don't include `RETURNING`:
 
-- Returns a single text value of type nvarchar(4000). The collation of the returned value is the same as the collation of the input expression.
+- Returns a single text value of type **nvarchar(4000)**. The collation of the returned value matches the collation of the input expression.
 
-- If the value is greater than 4000 characters:
+- If the value is greater than 4,000 characters:
 
   - In lax mode, `JSON_VALUE` returns `NULL`.
   - In strict mode, `JSON_VALUE` returns an error.
 
-  If you have to return scalar values greater than 4000 characters, use `OPENJSON` instead of `JSON_VALUE`. For more info, see [OPENJSON](openjson-transact-sql.md).
+  If you need to return scalar values greater than 4,000 characters, use `OPENJSON` instead of `JSON_VALUE`. For more information, see [OPENJSON](openjson-transact-sql.md).
 
-If `RETURNING` is included:
+If you include `RETURNING`:
 
-Returns the value specified in the SQL type. The supported SQL types are: **tinyint**, **smallint**, **int**, **bigint**, **decimal**, **numeric**, **float**, **real**, **char**, **varchar**, **varchar(max)**, **nchar**, **nvarchar**, **nvarchar(max)**, **date**, **time**, **datetime2**, and **datetimeoffset**.
+Returns the value specified in *data_type*. The supported data types are: **tinyint**, **smallint**, **int**, **bigint**, **decimal**, **numeric**, **float**, **real**, **char**, **varchar**, **varchar(max)**, **nchar**, **nvarchar**, **nvarchar(max)**, **date**, **time**, **datetime2**, and **datetimeoffset**.
 
-JSON functions work the same whether the JSON document is stored in **varchar**, **nvarchar**, or the native **json** data type.
+JSON functions work the same way whether the JSON document is stored in **varchar**, **nvarchar**, or the native **json** data type.
 
 ## Remarks
 
@@ -99,7 +120,7 @@ SET @jsonInfo = N'{
  }';
 ```
 
-The following table compares the behavior of `JSON_VALUE` in lax mode and in strict mode. For more info about the optional path mode specification (lax or strict), see [JSON Path Expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md).
+The following table compares the behavior of `JSON_VALUE` in lax mode and in strict mode. For more info about the optional path mode specification (lax or strict), see [JSON path expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md).
 
 | Path | Return value in lax mode | Return value in strict mode | More info |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
@@ -118,7 +139,7 @@ The following table compares the behavior of `JSON_VALUE` in lax mode and in str
 The following example uses the values of the JSON properties `town` and `state` in query results. Since `JSON_VALUE` preserves the collation of the source, the sort order of the results depends on the collation of the `jsonInfo` column.
 
 > [!NOTE]  
-> (This example assumes that a table named `Person.Person` contains a `jsonInfo` column of JSON text, and that this column has the structure shown previously in the discussion of lax mode and strict mode. In the `AdventureWorks` sample database, the `Person` table doesn't in fact contain a `jsonInfo` column.)
+> This example assumes that a table named `Person.Person` contains a `jsonInfo` column of JSON text, and that this column has the structure shown previously in the discussion of lax mode and strict mode. In the `AdventureWorks` sample database, the `Person` table doesn't contain a `jsonInfo` column.
 
 ```sql
 SELECT FirstName,
@@ -175,5 +196,5 @@ date_value
 
 ## Related content
 
-- [JSON Path Expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md)
+- [JSON path expressions in the SQL Database Engine](../../relational-databases/json/json-path-expressions-sql-server.md)
 - [JSON data in SQL Server](../../relational-databases/json/json-data-sql-server.md)