MSSQL Server Compaitiblity Level for Pega Versions
I am trying to understand Pega's recommendation for Compatibility Levels for MS SQL Server.
Our current Pega Platform version is 24.2.0 and the backend Database is Azure SQL Database set to Compatibility level 150 (SQL Server 2019).
Question 1:
See link Platform Support Guide
The Relational Dabases – Supported databases mentions “MSSQL 2022 (compat. level 2014)”. This is very confusing since there is no such compatibility level as 2014. Can we go to Compatibility level 160 (SQL Server 2022) ? Please provide documentation that clearly defines what compatibility level of SQL Server Pega supports.
Question 2:
See link Microsoft SQL Server issues with date/time | Support Center
We are on Micorosoft JDBC version 11.2 and are about to upgrade to 13.2 (which is the latest version) to avoid the specific known issue described.
Does Pega recommend to always be on the latest version of JDBC regardless of Pega Platform versions?
Thank you.
Accepted Solution
Updated: 24 Sep 2025 17:06 EDT
Pegasystems Inc.
US
Hi @max_null
Thanks for reaching out.
1.
Please refer to the following Pega platform support guide section for the clarification and understand the context (SQL Server 2016 datetime2 breaking change). You may choose the JDBC driver config vs adjust to MSSQL 2014 compatibility to workaround the datetime2 issue. Actually we recommend the former --using jdbc driver. I will request this page further clarification to avoid the similar confusion.
"Microsoft SQL Server 2016 and later use the datetime2 data type which is not compatible with standard Pega Platform datetime architecture, so if you plan to use these versions, you must either configure the compatibility level to 120 or, if you want to use a compatibility level different than 120, for MSSQL JDBC driver version 12.2 or later, you can specify the datetime data type when configuring your JDBC driver URL. For more information, see Configure a Microsoft SQL database or Azure SQL (Managed Instance or Database) before an installation."
Hi @max_null
Thanks for reaching out.
1.
Please refer to the following Pega platform support guide section for the clarification and understand the context (SQL Server 2016 datetime2 breaking change). You may choose the JDBC driver config vs adjust to MSSQL 2014 compatibility to workaround the datetime2 issue. Actually we recommend the former --using jdbc driver. I will request this page further clarification to avoid the similar confusion.
"Microsoft SQL Server 2016 and later use the datetime2 data type which is not compatible with standard Pega Platform datetime architecture, so if you plan to use these versions, you must either configure the compatibility level to 120 or, if you want to use a compatibility level different than 120, for MSSQL JDBC driver version 12.2 or later, you can specify the datetime data type when configuring your JDBC driver URL. For more information, see Configure a Microsoft SQL database or Azure SQL (Managed Instance or Database) before an installation."
2. Please refer to PSG following section "When starting support for a database version, Pega tests and supports the latest JDBC driver version available from the database vendor that is compatible with the database server and JDK versions. Pega does not test all JDBC driver versions, but documents all known database/JDBC driver issues that break Pega applications. As a best practice, use the latest JDBC driver that is compatible with the Pega Platform release, the JDK version and the database server version"
Best,
Jie Long