Clustered SQL Server

Question

Clustered SQL Server

DeltaKilo

Ten Centuries

Points: 1005
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April 29, 2002 at 2:15 am

#58160

Does anybody here run SQL Server 2000 on a cluster?
If so, has any one had any problems with removing the builtin administrators group from the sql server. I know that if the clustering account is the same as the sql service account then it needs to be granted login permissions as a sysadmin. Apart from that are there any gotchas?
Many thanks,
DeltaKilo

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114532 More actions · Answer 1

We run several SQL Server clusters, but we tend not to remove BUILTIN\Administrators from SQL Server, even on non-clustered servers for a myriad of reasons discussed in some previous threads. Is there a security requirement to remove BUILTIN\Administrators?

If so, consider that BUILTIN\Administrators has sysadmin rights. You might try a test where you've explicitly given that account such rights and removed BUILTIN\Administrators. That should effectively be the same permission as far as the cluster is concerned.

K. Brian Kelley

bkelley@sqlservercentral.com

http://qa.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/bkelley/

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

DeltaKilo Ten Centuries Points: 1005 More actions · Answer 2

The main reason for removing it is that anyone with domain admin permission (hackers) has automatic sysadmin access to you SQL server installation. I know that it's an academic argument as anyone who has domain admin rights can change the password and log in. Having said that should your regular domain admin have sysadmin access to sql server

There's no need to leave the door open and the light on.

DeltaKilo

DeltaKilo Ten Centuries Points: 1005 More actions · Answer 3

The main reason for removing it is that anyone with domain admin permission (hackers) has automatic sysadmin access to you SQL server installation. I know that it's an academic argument as anyone who has domain admin rights can change the password and log in. Having said that should your regular domain admin have sysadmin access to sql server

There's no need to leave the door open and the light on.

DeltaKilo

david wootton Old Hand Points: 338 More actions · Answer 4

To remove the builtin\administrators login in a clusterd environment use the Q in this header :

How to Prevent Windows NT Administrators from Administering a Clustered SQL Server (Q263712)

DeltaKilo Ten Centuries Points: 1005 More actions · Answer 5

Thanks Wootton.

I'd read most of those already and I'm quite happy with doing this. However our NT admin isn't and that's because they're not comfortable with clustering. I want to know if anyone has done this and if they've had any problems. I just want to be able to say to the NT admin with confidence that "this will be fine".

Thanks for your help so far,

DeltaKilo

DeltaKilo Ten Centuries Points: 1005 More actions · Answer 6

Hidee Ho on this Friiiiiday morning,

Just thought I'd let you know that I removed sysadmin rights from the builtin group two days ago with no negative reponse. It still has dbo rights on indivdual databases but that's to be removed today and I don't forsee there being a problem.

Thanks all for your help

DeltaKilo