Professional SQL Server 2005 Administration (Wrox Professional Guides)
At the server level, there are behavioral changes between SQL Server 2000 and 2005. First, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the Surface Area Configuration tool (SAC). It is one of the five menu choices you have when you choose Configuration Tools under the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 directory. As Figure 3-14 shows, you have two choices: the Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections tool and the Surface Area Configuration for Features tool.
Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections tool
This interface allows you to configure all of the SQL Server component services installed. From there you can also select the availability for local and remote connections to both SQL Server instances and Analysis Services instances. It is also possible to choose whether the protocols allowed will be only TCP/IP, only Named Pipes, or both.
| Note | Banyan VINES, Multiprotocol, AppleTalk, and NWLink IPX/SPX protocol are no longer supported. |
Surface Area Configuration Features tool
From this interface, you can configure features, and again, you can view them by instance or by component.
These SQL Servers Database features are off by default:
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Ad-Hoc Remote Queries
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CLR Integration
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Dedicated Administrator Connection (DAC)
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Database Mail
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Native XML Web Services
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OLE Automation
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Service Broker
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SQL Mail
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Web Assistant
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xp_cmdshell
These SQL Analysis Services features are off by default:
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Ad-Hoc Data Mining Queries
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Anonymous Connections
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Linked Objects
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User Defined Functions
These Reporting Services features are off by default:
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Scheduled Events and Reports Delivery
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Web Services and HTTP Access
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Windows Integrated Security
Additional information on these features is available from the Surface Area Configuration tool itself or from Books Online.
| Note | Features enabled as part of an upgrade will still be enabled after the upgrade. Only new features will be disabled. |
As part of upgrading to SQL Server 2005, it is a great time to evaluate and reflect whether features that you have installed should be turned off. This will help reduce your area of exposure to external and potentially internal treats brought on by your developers.