Data security is always a hot subject and anything that database software vendors can do to enhance the security of data is usually welcome. One of the new features of SQL Server 2016 is the introduction of Dynamic Data Masking. As it says on the tin, the data is masked which prevents non-privileged users from seeing it. With Dynamic Data Masking in SQL Server 2016, … [Read more...] about SQL Server 2016 New Features – Dynamic Data Masking
security
SQL Server 2016 New Features – Always Encrypted
In my previous post, I listed a number of the SQL Server 2016 new features. Let's look at the first one in that list - Always Encrypted. With Always Encrypted the key to unlocking the encryption resides with the application. The encyption key is never passed to SQL Server. God like administrators cannot view the data on the server in its unencrypted form. This provides a … [Read more...] about SQL Server 2016 New Features – Always Encrypted
Using sp_change_users_login to fix SQL Server orphaned users
In this post, I'm going to be looking at sp_change_users_login in order to fix SQL Server orphaned users as a continuation to a previous article. There I looked at a couple of ways to transfer logins from one SQL Server to another and touched upon the issue of the orphaned "security identifier" (SID). A typical scenario that arises is when the DBA quickly realises that the … [Read more...] about Using sp_change_users_login to fix SQL Server orphaned users
How to Transfer Logins to Another SQL Server or Instance
With any server migration, ideally you want things to run smoothly and re-creating SQL Server logins and passwords from scratch is not something you really want to or should be doing. I am currently involved in a complete server replacement for one of our SQL Server clusters. In this environment, mixed authentication is enabled. Back in the day when I was learning about … [Read more...] about How to Transfer Logins to Another SQL Server or Instance
Auditing SQL Server Logins
Auditing SQL Server logins is done by way of writing audit information to the SQL Server Logs found under "Management->SQL Server Logs" in Management Studio. In order to enable auditing of SQL Server logins, a simple operation needs to be performed by changing settings in the properties of the SQL Server. Auditing levels vary. It's possible to audit just failed logins, … [Read more...] about Auditing SQL Server Logins