SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive

Startup SQL-Server Account

What is the best suggestion for the account that SQL-Server starts with? What account do you use to start your SQL-Server and why? CanadaDBA

For security reasons I use windows authentication. Same thing with users. Luis Martin
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I think the question is under which account the SQL Server service should be running. I only know development environment, and I think it is installed here to run under the "system" account.

I mean the account that use for SQL-Server service on server box. I had a suggestion for "sqlAdmin" which is a domain account (Or system account). Why shouldn’t we use Windows authentication on the server box? What about using SA? CanadaDBA

It is up to you whether to run it from "system" account or create a domain one and configure the services to run from it.
Usually, you want the domain one if you are planning to take backups on the server other than the one database is running on ("system" account will not be able to write to network shares). 99+% of the time I use domain account with specific permissions set up to run all of my sql server instances. simas

We use a domain account for the SQL service account. This domain account is just a user, with privileges as granted by Enterprise Manager when you associate the account with the SQL service. The account is NOT a domain or local admin for security reasons We use mixed mode authentication, some apps use Windows, other use SQL authentication… We don’t use the sa account for anything. It is left unused with a very complex password Twan

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