diff --git a/docs/auditor/10.9/requirements/sqlserver.md b/docs/auditor/10.9/requirements/sqlserver.md index b5d6e3dd97..665b32e980 100644 --- a/docs/auditor/10.9/requirements/sqlserver.md +++ b/docs/auditor/10.9/requirements/sqlserver.md @@ -6,19 +6,24 @@ sidebar_position: 40 # Requirements for SQL Server to Store Audit Data -If you plan to generate reports, use alerts and run search queries in Netwrix Auditor, consider that -your deployment must include Microsoft SQL Server where Netwrix Auditor stores audit data. For report -generation, Reporting Services (or Advanced Services) are also required. +If you plan to generate reports, use alerts, and run search queries in Netwrix Auditor, your +deployment must include Microsoft SQL Server where Netwrix Auditor stores audit data. Report +generation also requires Reporting Services (or Advanced Services). The following table lists supported SQL Server versions and editions. Due to limited database size, Netwrix recommends Express Edition (with Reporting Services) only for -evaluation, PoC, or small environments. For production environment, consider using Standard or -Enterprise Edition. +evaluation, proof of concept (PoC), or small environments **when using SQL Server 2022 or earlier**. +For production environments, consider using Standard or Enterprise Edition. + +**NOTE:** SQL Server 2025 Express Edition doesn't include Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) or any +built-in reporting services. If you require reporting functionality, use Standard or Enterprise +Edition with SQL Server 2025, or remain on SQL Server Express 2022 or earlier. See the SQL Server +2025 row in the following table for details. | Version | Edition | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| SQL Server 2025 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server/sql-server-downloads?msockid=112beb089ec7691328c3fc2e9fa568c1) with [Power BI Report Server](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=105944) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | +| SQL Server 2025 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition
**NOTE:** SQL Server 2025 supports Express Edition, but that edition doesn't include Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) or any built-in reporting services. Reporting functionality isn't available with SQL Server 2025 Express. If you require reporting, use Standard or Enterprise Edition with SQL Server 2025, or remain on [SQL Server 2022 Express](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=104781) with [SQL Server Reporting Services 2022](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=104502). Using SSRS 2022 (or earlier) with SQL Server 2025 Express isn't an officially supported configuration and may break if Microsoft introduces incompatible changes in a future update. | | SQL Server 2022 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=104781) with [Reporting Services](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=104502) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | | SQL Server 2019 (on-premises Windows version) cumulative update 10 and above | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=101064) with [Reporting Services](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=100122) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | | SQL Server 2017 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55994) with [Reporting Services](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55252) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | @@ -26,16 +31,15 @@ Enterprise Edition. | SQL Server 2014 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition with Advanced Services](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42299) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | | SQL Server 2012 | - Standard or Enterprise Edition - [Express Edition with Advanced Services](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56042) (for evaluation, PoC, and small environments) | -**NOTE:** SQL express is only supported for small environments. It might cause performance issues on -the medium and large environments. +**NOTE:** Netwrix supports SQL Express only for small environments. It might cause performance +issues in medium and large environments. -SQL Server -[AlwaysOn Availability Group](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/overview-of-always-on-availability-groups-sql-server) -can also be used for hosting Netwrix Auditor audit databases. For that, after specifying audit -database settings in Netwrix Auditor, you should manually add created database to a properly -configured AlwaysOn Availability Group. Take these steps each time Netwrix Auditor creates a new audit database. +You can also host Netwrix Auditor audit databases on a SQL Server +[AlwaysOn Availability Group](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/overview-of-always-on-availability-groups-sql-server). +After you specify audit database settings in Netwrix Auditor, manually add the new database to a +properly configured AlwaysOn Availability Group. Repeat this step each time Netwrix Auditor creates a new audit database. -**NOTE:** Multi-subnet Listener configurations for SQL Server AlwaysOn aren't supported. +**NOTE:** Netwrix Auditor doesn't support Multi-subnet Listener configurations for SQL Server AlwaysOn. See the [Add a database to an Always On availability group with the 'Availability Group Wizard'](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/availability-group-add-database-to-group-wizard) @@ -43,11 +47,10 @@ Microsoft article for details on adding a database to AlwaysOn Availability Grou You can configure Netwrix Auditor to use an existing SQL Server instance, or deploy a new instance. -If your deployment planning reveals that SQL Server Express Edition will be suitable for your -production environment, then you can install, for example, SQL Server 2016 SP2 Express with Advanced -Services using the Audit Database Settings wizard or by manually downloading it from Microsoft web -site. See the Install Microsoft SQL Server and Reporting Services section for additional -information. +If your deployment planning shows that SQL Server Express Edition suits your production environment, +you can install, for example, SQL Server 2016 SP2 Express with Advanced Services using the Audit +Database Settings wizard, or download it manually from the Microsoft website. See the Install +Microsoft SQL Server and Reporting Services section for additional information. ## SQL Server and Databases @@ -68,9 +71,9 @@ For production deployment in bigger environments, Netwrix recommends Microsoft S Standard Edition or higher because of the limited database size and other limitations of Express Edition. -Make your choice based on the size of the environment you are going to monitor, the number of users -and other factors. This refers, for example, to Netwrix Auditor for Network Devices: if you need to -audit successful logons to these devices, consider that your data sources produce a large number of activity records, so plan for SQL Server Standard or Enterprise edition (Express edition won't be sufficient). +Make your choice based on the size of the environment you plan to monitor, the number of users, and +other factors. This refers, for example, to Netwrix Auditor for Network Devices: if you need to +audit successful logons to these devices, your data sources produce a large number of activity records, so plan for SQL Server Standard or Enterprise edition (Express edition won't be sufficient). Netwrix Auditor supports automated size calculation for all its databases in total, displaying the result, in particular, in the @@ -85,14 +88,14 @@ creates an Audit Database. Default database name is `Netwrix_Auditor_`; you can name the database as you need, for example, `Active_Directory_Audit_Data`. -To avoid syntax errors, for instance, in the PowerShell cmdlets, use the -underscore character (`_`) instead of space character in the database names. +To avoid syntax errors, for instance in PowerShell cmdlets, use the +underscore character (`_`) instead of the space character in database names. If the database doesn't yet exist on the specified SQL Server instance, Netwrix Auditor creates it there. For this operation to succeed, ensure that the Netwrix Auditor service account has sufficient rights on that @@ -238,8 +242,8 @@ To change database retention after product deployment: ![audit_db_settings](/images/auditor/10.9/requirements/audit_db_settings.webp) -**Step 2 –** In the dialog displayed, ensure the Clear stale data when a database retention -period is exceeded: is set to ON, then click Modify to specify the required retention period (in +**Step 2 –** In the dialog displayed, set Clear stale data when a database retention +period is exceeded: to ON, then click Modify to specify the required retention period (in days). This setting also applies to the `Netwrix_Auditor_API` database. @@ -248,7 +252,7 @@ This setting also applies to the `Netwrix_Auditor_API` database. This is the account that Auditor uses to write the collected audit data to the audit databases. -This account must be granted the **Database owner (`db_owner`)** role and the **dbcreator** server +Grant this account the **Database owner (`db_owner`)** role and the **dbcreator** server role on the SQL Server instance hosting your audit databases. To assign the **dbcreator** and **`db_owner`** roles: @@ -271,10 +275,10 @@ the **`db_owner`** role to. **Step 8 –** Select the **User Mapping** tab. Select all databases used by Auditor to store audit data in the upper pane and check **`db_owner`** in the lower pane. -**NOTE:** This step is only required when changing the existing Audit Database Account to a new one. +**NOTE:** Perform this step only when you change the existing Audit Database Account to a new one. -**Step 9 –** If the account that you want to assign the **`db_owner`** role to has been already -added to **SQL Server Logins**, expand the **Security** > **Logins** node, right-click the account, +**Step 9 –** If the account that you want to assign the **`db_owner`** role to already exists +in **SQL Server Logins**, expand the **Security** > **Logins** node, right-click the account, select **Properties** from the pop-up menu, and edit its roles. Starting with version 9.96, you can use Group Managed Service Account (gMSA) for that purpose.