Best Practices using Policy Based Management

Another fine addition to SQL Server 2008 is Policy Based Management.  This new feature allows you to enforce (or check) policies on your database servers which is a bit comparable to the well known Group Policies in Windows.  The list of things you can check is really large and together with the ability to configure all kinds of conditions you can create a very powerful framework.  There is a great blog on PBM which explains all of the details so I am not going to repeat them but I do encourage you to read this blog as it contains very interesting information.  Also do not forget that the Books Online are a great resource!

The thing I wanted to mention is that we have provided a set of Best Practices policies in the SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack which you can freely download.  After you install this (\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Policies\DatabaseEngine\1033\) you can simply import those Best Practices policies using SSMS.  This will give you a head start and basically a very good view of the power of PBM.

Do note that importing RC0 policies in previous CTP's will not work.