Policy-based management is often an overlooked feature in SQL Server. It's been around for years. I've used it to help enforce STIG controls on SQL Servers, which needed to be DOD-compliant.
No DBA wants to build an instance and then guess if it's still in compliance right before audit season. With PBM, you can be sure it stays compliant once released into the wild.
This week, I'm starting a series of challenges focusing on PMB.
This first challenge has three objectives.
- Learn what Policy-Based Management is and how it fits into SQL Server administration.
- Discover how PBM simplifies managing multiple SQL Server instances.
- Familiarize yourself with the PBM interface within SQL Server Management Studio.
You'll need at least two SQL Server 2022 instances (developer edition is fine) joined to a Windows domain.
Ready?
Estimated time to complete: Less than 1 hour.
Step 1: Exploring PBM Concepts
Objective: Learn what Policy-Based Management is and how it fits into SQL Server administration.
What is Policy-Based Management?
PBM is a system for managing one or more instances of SQL Server. It provides a framework for DBAs to create policies that manage entity configurations on the instance, ensuring compliance with organizational standards.
Key Components:
- Facets: Predefined sets of logical properties that model the behavior or characteristics of certain management areas in SQL Server (e.g., Surface Area Configuration, Database Options).
- Conditions: Expressions that define a state or set of states for a Facet. Conditions are built using the properties exposed by Facets.
- Policies: The rules that enforce Conditions on Targets. A policy specifies the Condition to check, the Targets to evaluate, and the evaluation mode.
- Targets: The SQL Server objects (server, databases, tables, etc.) upon which the Policies are enforced.
Action Item:
Read: Review the Microsoft docs on PBM to get a deeper understanding.
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Think: How could PBM fit into your current workflow of managing SQL Server instances? Is your organization held to specific compliance standards such as DOD or SOC 2? Do you need to ensure developer environments also follow best practices?
Step 2: Benefits of PBM for DBAs
Objective: Discover how PBM simplifies managing multiple SQL Server instances.
Centralized Management:
Manage configurations across all your SQL Server instances from a single point, reducing the overhead of manual checks. One of my favorite tools to use for SQL Server deployments is Ansible. Ansible allows you to automate the deployment of each and every instance to ensure a consistent state. PBM allows you to enforce the state throughout the life of the instance.
Consistency and Compliance:
Ensure all instances adhere to company policies, industry regulations (e.g., DOD, SOC2), or best practices, minimizing configuration drift.
Automated Enforcement:
PBM can automatically enforce policies, correct non-compliant settings, or alert you when issues arise.
Real-World Scenarios:
- Security Compliance: Enforce password policies or encryption standards.
- Performance Optimization: Data and log files are on separate logical volumes, or certain features are enabled/disabled.
- Standardization: Maintain consistent settings for backups, recovery models, or naming conventions.
Action Item:
Reflect: Identify areas where inconsistent configurations have caused issues in your current environment.
Document: List potential policies that could address these issues.
Step 3: Navigating PBM in SSMS
Objective: Familiarize yourself with the PBM interface within SQL Server Management Studio.
Accessing PBM:
- Open SSMS and connect to your SQL Server instance (later in this series, we'll create a Central Management Server to centralize PBM).
- In Object Explorer, expand the Management node.
- Find and expand the Policy Management folder.
Folder Descriptions:
- Policies: Contains all the policies you have created or imported.
- Conditions: Houses the conditions used by your policies.
- Facets: Lists all available facets you can use to define conditions.
Exploring Facets:
- Right-click on a specific facet, such as Database Performance, and then properties to view all available properties for that facet.
Action Item:
Hands-On Exploration: Spend time clicking through the PBM folders to become comfortable with where everything is.
Helping Others and Sharing Your Results
How can PBM address your specific challenges in managing multiple SQL Server instances?
Which facets and conditions seem most applicable to your environment?
If you have tips or experiences to share, please post them in the comments or tag me on LinkedIn with the #dbachallenges hashtag.
Next week, we'll create a policy using PBM.
Feedback
If there's a DBA Challenge you'd like to see, let me know by replying to this email.
Feel free to reply to this email with any thoughts or questions.
Good luck, and I look forward to seeing your results!
Luke
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