New features for policy Management in SQL Server 2008

Policy Management is a new feature in SQL Server 2008 that manages the various properties of database instances, databases, and database objects. Policy management under the SSMs Object Explorer database instance under the Administration node, as shown in the figure:

As you can see from the diagram, policy management includes three nodes: policies, conditions, and aspects.

Aspects are the objects that the policy applies to, including: servers, tables, triggers, views, stored procedures ... These aspects of the object are system-defined, only for viewing can not be changed. Double-click a specific aspect to view the properties of the property, which can be judged when a condition is defined, as in the case of a stored procedure.

The condition is a Boolean expression that determines whether the policy is true.

A policy is an action to be performed, that is, an evaluation pattern, if the condition is false. There are 4 evaluation modes in the policy: On demand, on schedule, when records are changed, and when changes are prohibited. For these 4 models, the official defines the following:

On demand. When a user specifies this pattern directly, it evaluates the policy.

When changed: prohibited. This automatic mode uses DDL triggers to prevent violation of policies.

When changed: Record only. This automatic mode uses event notifications to evaluate policies when related changes occur and when a log policy is violated.

As planned. This automatic mode uses SQL Server agent jobs to evaluate policies on a regular basis. This pattern records violations of the policy.

It is manually operated on demand, and the other three can be completed automatically. The plan is to use SQL Server Agent to periodically check the policy and the other two to be triggered by a DDL trigger when it is changed.

Other concepts I don't need to say, you can read Books Online, here is an example to illustrate the use of policy management.