diff --git a/CHANGE_LOG.md b/CHANGE_LOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a3a81a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGE_LOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Unreleased
+
+# 2023-12
+
+## dotnet SDK and CI Infrastructure updates
+
+* cleanup: delete xunit test output from the repository
+* adjust all tests to be under FSharp.Data.SqlClient.Tests namespace, removing all the conditional about "legacy namespace" support in context of tests.
+* adjust .sln to have few more useful stuff in the solution explorer
+* few launch settings to make it possible to launch in debug vscode
+* appveyor, what breaks if I switch this?
+* try VS2022 appveyor image
+* net start mssql 2019 in appveyor
+* pick msbuild from vs2022 or vs2019 and remove older ones (vs2017 and msbuild15.0)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Directory.Build.props b/Directory.Build.props
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9f55f399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Directory.Build.props
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<Project>
+	<PropertyGroup Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.fsproj'">
+<!--
+  note: tolerate obsolete calls
+-->    
+    <WarningsNotAsErrors>$(WarningsNotAsErrors);44;</WarningsNotAsErrors>
+	  <LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Release</Configuration>
+    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
+    <Deterministic>true</Deterministic>
+    <TreatWarningsAsErrors>true</TreatWarningsAsErrors>
+<!--
+  note: preclude few nuget warnings of breaking the build
+  NU1504: Duplicate 'PackageReference' items found. Remove the duplicate items or use the Update functionality to ensure a consistent restore behavior. The duplicate 'PackageReference' items are: xxx 4.5.1, xxx 4.8.2.
+  NU1701: Package 'xxx 14.0.1016.290' was restored using 'yyy' instead of the project target framework 'zzz'. This package may not be fully compatible with your project.
+  NU1903: Package 'xxx' 2.0.0 has a known moderate severity vulnerability, https://github.com/advisories/xxx
+  NU1903: Package 'xxx' 2.0.0 has a known high severity vulnerability, https://github.com/advisories/xxx
+  NU1904: Package 'xxx' 5.0.0 has a known critical severity vulnerability, https://github.com/advisories/xxx
+-->
+    <WarningsNotAsErrors>$(WarningsNotAsErrors);NU1504;NU1701;NU1902;NU1903;NU1904</WarningsNotAsErrors>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 127981a3..f0ac0792 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 init:
   - git config --global core.autocrlf input
-image: Visual Studio 2017
+  - net start MSSQL$SQL2019
+image: Visual Studio 2022
+#before_build:
+# switch on dotnet 8 on appveyor: https://github.com/appveyor/ci/issues/3897#issuecomment-1827682384
+#- choco install dotnet-sdk --version 8.0.100
 build_script:
   - cmd: build.cmd GenerateDocs
 test: off
@@ -8,5 +12,3 @@ version: 0.0.1.{build}
 artifacts:
   - path: bin
     name: bin
-services:
-  - mssql2014
diff --git a/build.fsx b/build.fsx
index c51b24da..70fb073d 100644
--- a/build.fsx
+++ b/build.fsx
@@ -80,15 +80,14 @@ let runMsBuild project =
             (fun args ->
                 let toolPath =
                   [
+                    @"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin"
+                    @"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Preview\MSBuild\current\Bin"
+                    @"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\MSBuild\current\Bin"
+                    @"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\current\Bin"
                     @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin"
                     @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Preview\MSBuild\current\Bin"
                     @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Professional\MSBuild\current\Bin"
                     @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\MSBuild\current\Bin"
-                    @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
-                    @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
-                    @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
-                    @"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
-                    @"\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
                     args.ToolPath
                   ] 
                   |> List.map (fun p -> Path.Combine(p, "MSBuild.exe"))
diff --git a/global.json b/global.json
index aac6be5e..f7786958 100644
--- a/global.json
+++ b/global.json
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-{ "sdk": { "version": "2.1.402" } }
\ No newline at end of file
+{
+  "sdk": 
+  {
+    "version": "7.0.100"
+    , "rollForward": "latestFeature"
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/SqlClient.TestProjects/Lib/Lib.fsproj b/src/SqlClient.TestProjects/Lib/Lib.fsproj
index 3e515f97..a354e31b 100644
--- a/src/SqlClient.TestProjects/Lib/Lib.fsproj
+++ b/src/SqlClient.TestProjects/Lib/Lib.fsproj
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
     <Content Include="App.config" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Reference Include="netstandard" />
+    <!-- TODO: investigate why netstandard assembly was put here, or if it is the thing breaking appveyor for #430 -->
+    <!--<Reference Include="netstandard" />-->
     <Reference Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' == 'netstandard2.0'" Include="FSharp.Data.SqlClient">
       <HintPath>..\..\..\bin\netstandard2.0\FSharp.Data.SqlClient.dll</HintPath>
     </Reference>