By Ronald Barrett
Day to day management of SQL Servers can be a time consuming task, especially in large data intensive environments. SQL Server 2008 has introduced a management tool to help alleviate some of the Administrative overhead associated with database management.
Before we move into the Virtual Lab let’s define what DMF is and then we will look at what the Virtual Lab will teach us. To begin with, Declarative Management Framework (DMF) takes the approach of using polices to manage a database rather than using tasks.
The Microsoft SQL Server TechNet Virtual Lab: Declarative Management Framework (DMF) takes the user thru three aspects of DMF. They are:
1. Policy Enforcement
2. Monitoring Changes to the System
3. Creating a Policy / Facets
Once the Virtual Lab is launched you will see a desktop with the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) icon on the desktop. This is where we will be working. The lab manual takes you through the three examples of using DMF.
Let’s first look at the Policy enforcement exercise:
The exercise takes you through the process of trying to create a table in the database. The first one fails, the second succeeds. Then you view the table naming policy to see why you achieved the results to each query.
In the next exercise we’ll see how to monitor system changes using DMF. To begin the exercise you check the Auto settings of the database.
Next you make changes and go back to check the results.
As the results quickly show, the policy has been violated on the database. When the policy is first changed, notification is given at the top level of the Database server by flagging the database instance , the database, etc. with a red “X”.
For the final exercise the lab explains how to set policies and use facets for databases.
The exercise finishes by showing you how to test to make sure the applied policy is working correctly.
This was an interesting lab. It definitely gives DBAs and IT Managers the power to implement controls to not only monitor but even prevent unwanted database changes easily. Declarative Management Framework (DMF) is a welcome database tool, and this virtual lab is worth the time to get to know how this worthwhile tool works.