SQL Server Reference Guide

Mar 28, 2003

␡

⎙ Print

< Back Page 93 of 365 Next >

In most database platforms, you set up the environment to allow access to various database objects and server and platform settings, but you don’t have a great deal of control after the rights to those objects and system settings are granted. And in many cases you have to work in a reactive mode, where you monitor for changes and then react to them once they have occurred.

Policy-Based Management, a new feature starting with SQL Server 2008, is a new way of managing your SQL Server systems. Using a series of new settings, you can prescribe the way you want your server settings and database objects to be, and the system will take the responsibility to make things stay that way. In a sense, you’re defining your intent for the system, and the system maintains that intent.

You do all this using various Policies that you can define or import to your system. In this tutorial I’ll explain the parts of this new feature, and I’ll demonstrate a simple Policy that you can follow in the next tutorial.

Policy-Based Management Components

I’ll begin with a definition of all the new terms you’ll need to learn to use Policy-Based Management. These are new terms in some cases and in others it’s a word that has been “re-used.” Understanding these terms is the first thing you need to learn.

I’ll include a rather busy graphic here, but you can refer back to it as you read the following sections. This represents not only the components of Policy-Based Management, but also the flow of the Policy checking and enforcement:

Figure 1

Policy

A SQL Server 2008 “Policy” is the outermost container of all of the rest of the elements. It is actually an XML document, but in a moment I’ll show you how to create the Policy with the graphical tools that you can find in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This document can be stored on the server in the msdb database, or on the file system. By storing them in the database, you provide a central, secure location where you can run them. By storing them on the file system, you can copy them and send them around wherever you like. You can also export a Policy to a file, or import a Policy file into the msdb database.

Microsoft includes several Policies in the initial installation, as files on the hard drive. Many of these are based on the SQL Server “Best Practices Analyze,” or BPA. You can find them here: C:\Program Files\microsoft sql server\100\Tools\Policies.

A Policy also can be enabled or disabled — meaning that you can make a Policy but not have it available to run if you wish.

Target

Each Policy can be applied to one or more databases and database objects. Interestingly, you can “filter” which databases or database objects you want to exclude by using a “Condition” that I’ll explain in a moment.

Facet

A Policy-Based Management “Facet” is one or more database objects, or in fact the database or a server Instance. On each Facet is a set of “Properties” or “Fields.” For instance, one of the Facets is “Database.” On that Facet is a Property called @Name, which is the name of the database.

Now you might think that this is redundant — after all, a Database object already has a “Name” Property that you can read programmatically and with Transact-SQL commands. But Facets go further — they are not only single objects like Databases but other, well, Facets of database objects or even combinations of objects.

Microsoft has included many Facets in SQL Server 2008, and plans to include more in future releases. You can find most of the Facets by right-clicking any database object in SSMS and selecting “Facets” from the menu that appears. Here’s a partial list:

Application Role
Asymmetric Key
Audit
Backup Device
Broker Priority
Broker Service
Certificate
Credential
Cryptographic Provider
Data File
Database
Database Audit Specification
Database Ddl Trigger
Database Maintenance
Database Option
Database Performance
Database Role
Database Security
Default
Endpoint
File Group
Full Text Catalog
Full Text Index
Full Text Stop List
Index
Linked Server
Log File
Login
Login Options
Message Type
Multipart Name
Name
Partition Function
Partition Scheme
Plan Guide
Remote Service Binding
Resource Governor
Resource Pool
Rule
Schema
Server
Server Audit
Server Audit Specification
Server Configuration
Server Ddl Trigger
Server Information
Server Performance
Server Security
Server Settings
Server Setup
Service Contract
Service Queue
Service Route
Statistic
Stored Procedure
Surface Area
Surface Area for AS
Surface Area for RS
Symmetric Key
Synonym
Table
Table Options
Trigger
User
User Defined Aggregate
User Defined Data Type
User Defined Function
User Defined Table Type
User Defined Type
User Options
View
View Options
Workload Group
Xml Schema Collection

You can only add one Facet to a Policy at a time, but you can have multiple Policies on a given set of targets.

Condition

Conditions are where the real power comes in for Policy-Based Management. A Condition is one or more comparisons of a Facet property to a value. For instance, one condition you might create could involve the Database Facet and its @LastBackupDate field. You could compare that using an equality (=) or a greater or lesser than, or even an inequality (!=) to a date you select. This particular condition would show if the date that the database was last backed up was equal (or some other comparison) to a specific date. I use this Condition frequently to check that the database has been backed up in today’s date, using a value of “GetDate().”

That brings up an interesting point. You could hard-code a value that you want to compare, and this is what you’ll do quite often — perhaps you’re comparing the @RecoverModel value to “Simple.” But if the value can be checked against a function (like GETDATE()) then you can create a very flexible set of conditions to work with.

You can have multiple conditions against a single Facet. So you could check that a Database Facet is in @RecoveryModel=”Simple” and @LastBackupDate = GetDate(). This lets you set up the exact status you want your databases to be in, and then you can check all your databases at once to match against these settings.

Breaking out the Facets and Conditions like this means that they can be re-used — in fact, the “Targets” I mentioned earlier are just Conditions against Facets. So you could apply the settings you just created against the Database Facet on Targets that are based on only user databases — not system ones.

It’s a bit like a chess game — it’s simple to explain, but as you start combining the possible choices, it can become very complex. I’ll demonstrate a few practical examples in the next tutorial so that this makes a little more sense.

Policy-Based Management Evaluation Modes

Once the Policy is defined against a set of Targets, you’ll notice several “Evaluation Modes” as a selection. I’ll explain each one in turn, and then I’ll show you how they work in the next tutorial.

One Change: Prevent

This mode is only available for SQL Server version 2008 and higher, and only for events that happen within a transaction. Don’t worry — if you can’t run the Policy in this mode, the system will prevent you from choosing it.

What happens during this mode is that when a user or process attempts to complete the action, the Policy-Based Management (PBM) Engine detects the attempt as violating the Policy and then it issues a rollback command. That’s why this mode is available only in SQL Server 2008 Targets — the older versions of SQL Server don’t have this engine.

One Change: log only

This mode is also only available for SQL Server version 2008 and higher. In this case the event is not rolled back, but it is recorded in the SQL Server Error Logs. It’s also recorded in a set of tables in the msdb database, and you’ll get a visual signal on the objects that are “out of Policy.”

On schedule

This mode is also only available for SQL Server version 2008 and higher. With this mode, you set a schedule which will run across all of the servers you designate and check the Policy. If the Policy is violated, it is logged just as in “log only.”

On demand

This mode is available for SQL Server version 2000 and higher. All you do is right-click the Policy and “evaluate” it against the servers you select. The results of the evaluation are once again stored in tables in the msdb database and shown on the screen.

I’ve mentioned PowerShell before here at InformIT, and you can use that to evaluate a Policy as well. In fact, you can schedule a PowerShell script, and you can evaluate a Policy in PowerShell, and you can use the “On demand” mode in a Policy, so using this method you can indeed schedule a Policy against SQL Server 2000 and 2005 systems! I’ll show you how to do that in the next installment as well.

InformIT Articles and Sample Chapters

There’s a lot more about PowerShell starting in this series of updates here in the SQL Server Reference Guide. You can read up on that before you move on to the next tutorial.

Books and eBooks

Ross Mistry has a great book, SQL Server 2005 Management and Administration, that will help you understand the general settings that you can use as Facet choices.

Online Resources

The official documentation for PBM is here.

< Back Page 93 of 365 Next >

🔖 Save To Your Account

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Notice

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

As required by law.
With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020

Email Address