After you have validated your backup, upgrade your SQL to prepare for the Vault Server and Vault client upgrades.
The stage Validate backup should be completed prior to starting Upgrade SQL.
SQL Releases
The following chart summarizes the compatible releases of Vault and SQL with green dots. The yellow dots are the recommended upgrade path. Refer to the Vault System Requirements for your Vault release to ensure compatibility between Vault and SQL product editions.
If a SQL upgrade is necessary, refer to the topic specific to your environment for a summary of the most common scenarios. Complete SQL documentation is available from Microsoft.
Important: Prior to upgrading SQL, review the next section in this document: Upgrade Vault Server.