Configure server and database audits

Server and database audits are an essential part of administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions. Auditing allows you to track and monitor activities within your server and database to ensure compliance, detect any malicious behavior, and troubleshoot issues. In this article, we will explore how to configure server and database audits in Azure SQL.

Configuring Server Audits:

Azure SQL provides a built-in auditing capability that allows you to audit the entire server. To configure a server audit, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Azure portal and open your Azure SQL server.
2. In the left-hand menu, under the Security section, click on “Auditing & Threat Detection.”
3. In the Auditing tab, click on “Auditing settings.”
4. Click on the “+ New policy” button.
5. Give your server audit policy a name and select the storage account where audit logs will be stored.
6. Choose the events that you want to audit. You can select from various options such as Read, Write, Delete, and Failed attempts, among others.
7. Click on “Save” to create the server audit policy.

Configuring Database Audits:

In addition to server audits, you can also configure audits at the individual database level. Here’s how you can set up database audits:

1. Open your Azure SQL server in the Azure portal.
2. Under the Security section, click on “Auditing & Threat Detection.”
3. In the Auditing tab, select the specific database you want to configure audits for.
4. Click on the “+ New policy” button.
5. Provide a name for the database audit policy.
6. Choose the storage account where audit logs will be stored.
7. Select the events you want to audit, similar to configuring server audits.
8. Click on “Save” to create the database audit policy.

Viewing Audit Logs:

Once you have configured server and database audits, you can view the audit logs to gain insights into the activities happening within your Azure SQL environment. Follow these steps to access the audit logs:

1. Open your Azure SQL server in the Azure portal.
2. Under the Security section, click on “Auditing & Threat Detection.”
3. In the Auditing tab, you will see the audit logs for both server and databases.
4. Click on the specific audit logs you want to view.
5. You can filter the audit logs based on criteria such as time range, database, and activities.
6. Analyze the audit logs to monitor and troubleshoot your Azure SQL environment effectively.

In conclusion, configuring server and database audits is crucial for maintaining security and compliance in your Azure SQL Solutions. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily set up audits and access audit logs to gain valuable insights into the activities within your SQL server and databases.