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PUT YOUR FEET UPSIMPLIFIED MANAGEMENT USING THE ENTERPRISE POLICY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

Simplified Management using the Enterprise Policy Management FrameworkSQLBits 5, Celtic Manor – 22nd November 2009

martin.cairney@rightjoin.net

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Introduction

Components of the Enterprise Policy Management Framework

• SQL Server 2008 Policy-Based Management

• Central Management Servers• Windows PowerShell• SQL Server 2008 Reporting

Services

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Introduction

Policy-Based Management Review• evaluating policies• categorising policies

Central Management Servers• configuring• managing policies with CMS

Extending with the Enterprise Policy Management Framework• components and deployment• evaluation on down-level instances• large scale environments

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SQL Server Policy-Based Management

Login Options

Enabled = True Condition

Ensure Compliance Policy

All SQL logins have password complexity

rules enabled

All databases must be backed up every

day

LastBackupDate >= dateadd(‘day’, -1, getdate())

Ensure Compliance

Facet Database Maintenance

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SQL Server Policy-Based Management

Policy Evaluation Modes

On Demand

On Schedule

On Change – Log Only

On Change – Prevent

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SQL Server Policy-Based Management

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SQL Server Policy-Based Management

Effect of Database Subscriptions

NO Security CategoryAdventureWorksPubsHRDB

Security CategoryAdventureWorks not subscribedPayrollDB subscribed(no pubs db)

Security CategoryAdventureWorks subscribedpubs subscribed

Target B

Target A

RTMTarget A: AdventureWorks evaluated

Target B: AdventureWorks and pubs evaluated

SP1 (+CU3)Target A: PayrollDB evaluated

Target B: All databases checked

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SQL Server Policy-Based Management

• policies replace the Best Practices Analyser in previous releases

• best practice policies installed when you install an instance: <SQL_Directory>\100\Tools\Policies\

DatabaseEngine\1033 Sub-directories for Database Engine, SSRS and SSAS

• note that all best practices policies have a Category

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Categorise and Evaluate Policies

DEMO

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Central Management Servers

Central Management Server

• extends Registered Server concept in SSMS• shared registrations for every user that

connects to the same CMS• only works for instances in the same or a

trusted domains• can register the same instance in multiple

groups• registered servers stored in msdb in :

dbo.sysmanagement_shared_server_groups_internaldbo.sysmanagement_shared_registered_servers_inter

nal

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Central Management Servers

DEMO

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Windows PowerShell

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Extend to the Enterprise

Components of the EPM Framework

• SQL Server 2008 instance to store policies• SQL Server 2008 instance to act as the

Central Management Server• SQL Server 2008 instance to execute the

PowerShell script• SQL Server management database and

policy history table to archive policy evaluation results

• SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services to render and deliver policy history reports

Extend to the Enterprise

EPM Framework In Action

policy

results

policy

results

policy

results

policy

results

policy

results

policy

results

CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVER

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Extend to the Enterprise

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Extend to the Enterprise

DEMO

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Extend to the Enterprise

Scaling to the Enterprise

• Add Intelligence to Policies by placing each policy in a category and defining server restrictions for versions and editions where appropriate

• Define Concurrent Jobs with parameters for each Policy Category and/or Central Management Server group

• simple table structure in repository database so you can roll your own reports

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Summary

Enterprise Policy Management Framework

• extends SQL Server 2008 Policy-Based Management to all versions of SQL Server in an enterprise

• leverage CMS and Powershell script to capture the policy evaluation output and insert it into a SQL Server database

• automate using SQL Agent job(s)• Reporting Services reports will deliver

information from the centralised database

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References

SQL Server Manageability Team's blog on Policy Based Management

http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlpbm

Enterprise Policy Management Framework Download

http://epmframework.codeplex.com

Lara Rubbelke’s Blog

http://sqlblog.com/blogs/lara_rubbelke/default.aspx

Enterprise Policy Management Framework with SQL Server Whitepaper

http://sqlcat.com/whitepapers/archive/2009/02/25/enterprise-policy-management-framework-with-sql-server-2008.aspx

Windows Powershell Blog

http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell

Right Join Consultants Web Site

http://www.rightjoin.net