Enabling System Audit on SQL Server 2008 Instance

Hi
Getting an issue when trying to enable the System Audit on our SQL Server 2008 Instance.

Firstly getting a message telling me that I hve to restart SQL server (see below) - when I choose this to do this I get the second message.

Issue is when I restart SQL Server manually - I then cannot connect to the server via DB Audit to allow me to enable the System Audit? Any ideas? Looking to get this activited asap as we have an audit starting

Various sites have said reinstalling SQL server may fix - this is our Prodcution server so this is not possible!

Last edited by gormled on Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi,

Please do not reinstall SQL Server or DB Audit. People usually say "reinstall" when they do not know what else to say.

The first message (first screenshot) is not an error. It is a warning with to-do instructions.
The second message indicates a non-critical error that simple states that with the current system setup and Windows user permissions, DB Audit is unable to restart the server remotely and it want s you to restart it manually and locally on the server.

Your last statement indicates that after restart you are unable connect to the server from DB Audit console. Can you connect from other applications? Did the server start successfully?

Additional info (hopefully this will make my last comments a bit clearer)

The DB Audit software is installed on the same server as the SQL Server 2008 instance
The DB_audit user on the SQL Server has Admin rights (see attached)

Have tried manually restarting SQL Server services (can stop and restart the services on SQL Server Mgmt Studio with no problems)
I get the issue when connecting to SQL Server via DB Audit softward (when the service has been manually stopped (but not restarted) – tried using the DB_Audit SQL Server user and our own Admin SQL Server user account – both without success.

Once service is restarted I can connect to SQL Server using the SQL Server logins

As a bit of background out DB Admin who initially set this up has left the company – so forgive me for any blinding obviously questions.
In terms of the DB Audit software – is there any specific changes to registry or any additional server permissions that I have to be carried out in addition to the standard items?

Hi there,

You are saying

	Quote:
	I get the issue when connecting to SQL Server via DB Audit softward (when the service has been manually stopped (but not restarted) – tried using the DB_Audit SQL Server user and our own Admin SQL Server user account – both without success.

When the server is stopped, you cannot connect to it. That's normal. The server is stopped.

Am I missing something here?

Secondary, "db_auditl" login pictured on the screenshot has nothing to do with SQL Server restarting. It is the Windows user account that is running DB Audit GUI console that is unable to restart the service from console. The system security is likely locked (which is normal too) and not allowing that user to restart the SQL server using remote service restart methods. In any case, that is really unimportant. As long as you can restart the service from the Services applet, or Admin tools, you shouldn't worry about that.

Is there anything else that I can help you with?