The MsSqlEngineTest reports statistics related to the Microsoft SQL server engine. This page depicts the default parameters that need to be configured for the MsSqlEngineTest.

• The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed. 

• In the INSTANCE text box, enter the name of a specific Microsoft SQL instance that is to be monitored. The default value of this parameter is "default". To monitor a Microsoft SQL instance named "CFS", enter this as the value of the INSTANCE parameter. 

• By default, this test requires Sysadmin privileges to execute. This is because, by default, the test pulls out metrics uing a stored procedure named sp_monitor, which requires Sysadmin privileges for execution. The USER parameter should hence be configured with the name of a USER who has been assigned the Sysadmin role. However, if you prefer not to expose the credentials of a Sysadmin owing to security concerns, then first ensure that the test does not use the sp_monitor stored procedure. For this, set the USE SP MONITOR parameter of this test to No. Then, against the USER parameter, specify the name of a SQL user who has been assigned the Public role in the USER text box.

• The password corresponding to the above user has to be entered in the PASSWORD text box.

• Confirm the password by retyping it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box. 

• By default, none is displayed in the DOMAIN text box. If the ‘SQL server and Windows’ authentication has been enabled for the server being monitored, then the DOMAIN can continue to be none. On the other hand, if ‘Windows only’ authentication has been enabled, then, in the DOMAIN text box, specify the Windows domain in which the managed Microsoft SQL server exists. Also, in such a case, the USER name and PASSWORD that you provide should be that of a user authorized to access the monitored SQL server.

• In some Windows networks, NTLM (NT LAN Manager) may be enabled. NTLM is a suite of Microsoft security protocols that provides authentication, integrity, and confidentiality to users. NTLM version 2 ("NTLMv2") was concocted to address the security issues present in NTLM. By default, the ISNTLMV2 flag is set to No, indicating that NTLMv2 is not enabled by default on the target Microsoft SQL host. Set this flag to Yes if NTLMV2 is enabled on the target host.

• By default, the USE SP MONITOR flag is set to Yes, indicating that this test uses the sp_monitor stored procedure (by default) to pull out the required metrics from the target server. This stored procedure mandates the Sysadmin role - i.e., you should configure the test with the credentials of a USER with the Sysadmin role, if you want the test to use the sp_monitor. Moreover, even if the required privileges are granted to the test, in some environments, the sp_monitor procedure may result in errors. Administators of high-security Windows environments may not want to expose the credentials of their Sysadmin users. Neither would they want error-prone stored procedures to execute in their environment. In such environments therefore, you can use queries to extract the desired metrics from the Microsoft SQL server, instead of the sp_monitor procedure. To enable the use of queries, set this flag to No.

• If the Microsoft SQL server being monitored is an SSL-enabled server, then set the SSL flag to Yes. If not, then set the SSL flag to No.

• If the value chosen against ISPASSIVE is YES, then the server under consideration is a passive server in a cluster. No alerts will be generated if the server is not running. Measures will be reported as "Not applicable' by the agent if the server is not up.

• Once the above value is provided, click on the UPDATE button to register the changes made.