The model of delivery patch for Microsoft SQL server follows a very precise process that is described in the following article : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935897/ 

We always recommend applying the latest Service Pack (SP) for SQL. However, you should apply it only after validation on your test platform.

- How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2000
- How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2005
- How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2008 
- How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2 
- How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2012

What is the policy of publication of the cumulative update?

The Cumulative Updates (CU) should be applied that knowledge to question, to address a specific issue (pro-active or re-active). The systematic application of the last internal CU can lead to changes in unwanted behavior of SQL Server.

Lifecycle Supported Service Packs http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifesupsps   - Mainstream

 

SQL Server build : Last update : 16th April 2013 11.0.
  
SQL 2012   
11 SP1 CU3 11.0.3349
11 SP1 CU2 11.0.3339 RECOMMENDED BUILD
11 SP1 CU1 11.0.3321
11 SP1 11.00.3000 
   
11 RTM CU7 11.0.2405
11 RTM CU5 11.0.2395
11 RTM CU4 11.0.2383
11 RTM CU3 11.0.2332
11 RTM CU2 11.0.2325
11 RTM CU1 11.0.2316
11 RTM 11.00.2100.60
11 RC0 11.0.1750.32
  
SQL 2008 R2   
10.5 SP2 CU6 10.50.4279
10.5 SP2 CU4 10.50.4270
10.5 SP2 CU3 10.50.4266
10.5 SP2 CU2 10.50.4263
10.5 SP2 CU1 10.50.4260
10.5 SP2 10.50.4000RECOMMENDED BUILD
   
10.5 SP1 CU12 10.50.2874
10.5 SP1 CU11 10.50.2869
10.5 SP1 CU10 10.50.2868
10.5 SP1 CU9 10.50.2866
10.5 SP1 CU8 10.50.2822
10.5 SP1 CU7 10.50.2817
10.5 SP1 CU6 10.50.2811
10.5 SP1 CU5 10.50.2806
10.5 SP1 CU4 10.50.2796
10.5 SP1 CU3 10.50.2789
10.5 SP1 CU2 10.50.2772
10.5 SP1 CU1 10.50.2769
10.5 SP1 10.50.2500.00
   
10.5 RTM CU14 10.50.1817
10.5 RTM CU13 10.50.1815
10.5 RTM CU12 10.50.1810
10.5 RTM CU11 10.50.1809
10.5 RTM CU10 10.50.1807
10.5 RTM CU7 10.50.1777
10.5 RTM CU6 10.50.1765
10.5 RTM CU5 10.50.1753
10.5 RTM CU4 10.50.1746
10.5 RTM CU3 10.50.1734
10.5 RTM CU2 10.50.1720
10.5 RTM CU1 10.50.1702
10.5 RTM 10.50.1600
SQL 2008   
10 SP3 CU10 10.0.5835
10 SP3 CU9 10.0.5829
10 SP3 CU8 10.0.5828
10 SP3 CU7 10.0.5794
10 SP3 CU6 10.0.5788
10 SP3 CU5 10.0.5785
10.0 SP3 CU2 10.00.5768
10.0 SP3 CU1 10.00.5766
10.0 SP3 10.00.5500.00 RECOMMENDED BUILD
   
10 SP2 CU11 10.0.4333
10 SP2 CU10 10.0.4332
10.0 SP2 CU8 10.00.4326
10.0 SP2 CU7 10.00.4323
10.0 SP2 CU6 10.00.4321
10.0 SP2 CU5 10.00.4316
10.0 SP2 CU4 10.00.4285
10.0 SP2 CU3 10.00.4279
10.0 SP2 CU2 10.00.4272
10.0 SP2 CU1 10.00.4266
10.0 SP2 10.00.4000.00
   
10.0 SP1 CU15 10.00.2847
10.0 SP1 CU14 10.00.2821
10.0 SP1 CU13 10.00.2816
10.0 SP1 CU12 10.00.2808
10.0 SP1 CU11 10.00.2804
10.0 SP1 CU10 10.00.2799
10.0 SP1 CU9 10.00.2789
10.0 SP1 CU8 10.00.2775
10.0 SP1 CU7 10.00.2766
10.0 SP1 CU6 10.00.2757
10.0 SP1 CU5 10.00.2746
10.0 SP1 CU4 10.00.2734
10.0 SP1 CU3 10.00.2723
10.0 SP1 CU2 10.00.2714
10.0 SP1 CU1 10.00.2710
10.0 SP1 10.00.2531.00
   
10.0 RTM CU10 10.00.1835
10.0 RTM CU9 10.00.1828
10.0 RTM CU8 10.00.1823
10.0 RTM CU7 10.00.1818
10.0 RTM CU6 10.00.1812
10.0 RTM CU5 10.00.1806
10.0 RTM CU4 10.00.1798
10.0 RTM CU3 10.00.1787
10.0 RTM CU2 10.00.1779
10.0 RTM CU1 10.00.1763
10.0 RTM 10.00.1600.22
SQL 2005   
9.0 SP4 CU3 + Fix 9.00.5292 QFE Branch Recommended
9.0 SP4 CU3 9.00.5266
9.0 SP4 CU2 9.00.5259
9.0 SP4 CU1 9.00.5254
9.0 SP4 9.00.5000 RECOMMENDED BUILD
   
9.0 SP3 CU12 9.00.4311
9.0 SP3 CU11 9.00.4309
9.0 SP3 CU10 9.00.4305
9.0 SP3 CU9 9.00.4294
9.0 SP3 CU8 9.00.4285
9.0 SP3 CU7 9.00.4273
9.0 SP3 CU6 9.00.4230
9.0 SP3 CU5 9.00.4230
9.0 SP3 CU4 9.00.4226
9.0 SP3 CU3 9.00.4220
9.0 SP3 CU2 9.00.4211
9.0 SP3 CU1 9.00.4207
9.0 SP3 9.00.4035
   
9.0 SP2 CU17 9.00.3356 
9.0 SP2 CU16 9.00.3355 
9.0 SP2 CU15 9.00.3330 
9.0 SP2 CU14 9.00.3328
9.0 SP2 CU13 9.00.3325
9.0 SP2 CU12 9.00.3315
9.0 SP2 CU11 9.00.3301
9.0 SP2 CU10 9.00.3294
9.0 SP2 CU9+MS08-052 9.00.3282
9.0 SP2 CU8 9.00.3257
9.0 SP2 CU7 9.00.3239
9.0 SP2 MS08-040 9.00.3233
9.0 SP2 CU6 9.00.3228
9.0 SP2 CU5 9.00.3215
9.0 SP2 CU4 9.00.3200
9.0 SP2 CU3 9.00.3186
9.0 SP2 CU2 9.00.3175
9.0 SP2 CU1 9.00.3161
9.0 SP2 Rollup 9.00.3152
9.0 GDR MS08-052 9.00.3073
9.0 GDR MS08-040 9.00.3068
9.0 SP2 9.00.3042
   
9.0 SP1 Rollup 9.00.2153
9.0 SP1 9.00.2047
   
9.0 RTM 9.00.1399.06
SQL 2000  
8.0 MS09-004 8.00.2283 RECOMMENDED BUILD
8.0 MS08-040 8.00.2273
8.0 SP4 8.00.2039


Microsoft Security Bulletin Search : http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/current.aspx


The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 was released
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956909 
  
The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 was released
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956909/

The SQL Server 2005 builds that were released after SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 was released
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937137/en-us
 
 Michel Degremont | Microsoft EMEA
Product Support Services Developer - SQL Server Core Engineer |