SQL Server patching - Should I update our builds to latest SP? or latest SP + latest CU?

Question

Micosoft Cumulative Updates come with the following recommendation:
“A supported cumulative update package is now available from Microsoft. However, it is intended to correct only the problems that are described in this article. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing these specific problems. This cumulative update
package may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by any of these problems, we recommend that you wait for the next SQL Server 2008 R2 service pack that contains the hotfixes in this cumulative update package.”
However, I've talked with a number of SQL Server DBAs from a variety of organizations and many seem to patch their servers right to the lastest CU available regardless of whether their servers have experienced any of the problems that the hotfixes in the
CUs are suppose to fix.
What should we be doing?  Only applying CUs if we specifically need them (like Microsoft recommends)?  Or applying the latest CU available?  What do most SQL Server DBAs do?

Answer 1

Hello,
I only install service packs and CU1 of each service pack. I have had some bad experiences with cumulative updates and I installed them
only when needed. If a CU has a fix for a specific performance issue an instance has, then I install the CU.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Alberto Morillo
SQLCoffee.com