Advice on sa password change

I am taking over a server that doesn't seem to have been managed very well a
nd am planning on changing the sa password (for security).
However I know that various bits and bobs (on this server) seem to rely on i
t.
So I'm writing a document to outline the steps I have to take. What I need
to know is as full a list as possible of all the places I should check to se
e if the sa password has been used.
So apart from Security - Login - sa - properties, what else should I be chec
king?
Thanks in advance
DerekHi,
For 'SA' login , It is recommended to have mixed case passwords with a few
numbers along with special characters so that a hacker can not guess
the password.
Have a look into the below site from Vyas to get the best practices to be
followed in secuity.
http://vyaskn.tripod.com/sql_server...t_practices.htm
Thanks
Hari
MCDBA
"Derek" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CAF7226E-6A3B-4210-810F-732A23E70A97@.microsoft.com...
> I am taking over a server that doesn't seem to have been managed very well
and am planning on changing the sa password (for security).
> However I know that various bits and bobs (on this server) seem to rely on
it.
> So I'm writing a document to outline the steps I have to take. What I
need to know is as full a list as possible of all the places I should check
to see if the sa password has been used.
> So apart from Security - Login - sa - properties, what else should I be
checking?
> Thanks in advance
> Derek|||If you are wondering about things that might break when you change the
password:
Look at all DTS packages - Connection properties to this SQL Server. Also
any scheduled DTS package that was scheduled in Enterprise Manager while
logged in as the sa account will have to be resecheduled.
Look at all replication agents to make sure they are not using the sa
account to connect to this server.
Look at all other jobs as well.
Any client application that uses the sa account to connect to this server
will need to be modified to account for the new password.
There are probably some things that I have missed but these have been the
ones that have caused the most problems when the sa password is changed.
Rand
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.|||Linked servers may break, but you will have to update the remote server
itself to fix the problem. Besides, you shouldn't be linking servers with
the SA login anyway.
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Rand Boyd [MSFT]" <rboyd@.onlinemicrosoft.com> wrote in message
news:U%23$JPkfLEHA.3364@.cpmsftngxa10.phx.gbl...
> If you are wondering about things that might break when you change the
> password:
> Look at all DTS packages - Connection properties to this SQL Server. Also
> any scheduled DTS package that was scheduled in Enterprise Manager while
> logged in as the sa account will have to be resecheduled.
> Look at all replication agents to make sure they are not using the sa
> account to connect to this server.
> Look at all other jobs as well.
> Any client application that uses the sa account to connect to this server
> will need to be modified to account for the new password.
> There are probably some things that I have missed but these have been the
> ones that have caused the most problems when the sa password is changed.
> Rand
> This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.
>