Does SQL Server keeps Activity Log?

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Hello Everyone;

I have a db in SQLServer and want an audit log file that could reveal every single operation perfomed on that database since it was created. This is to let me know if someone has deleted a record or modified directly using SQL server and not via application sitting on the database.

Does SQLServer has that facility?

Posted 28-May-13 4:43am

awedaonline

Updated 28-May-13 4:59am

NotPolitcallyCorrect

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CHill60 · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-28T05:10:00

Solution 1

SQL Server has an Activity Monitor that can identify which application opened a session ... see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175518.aspx[^]

Posted 28-May-13 5:10am

CHill60

Comments

Maciej Los 28-May-13 11:57am

Short and to the point!
+5

**Zoltán Zörgő** · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-28T07:52:00

The Built-in SQL Server Auditing[^] (see also: http://www.dbsimplified.com/2011/10/auditing-in-sql-server.html[^]) from v2008 is a really useful tool, but it is limited to Enterprise, Developer, and Evaluation editions (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc280386.aspx[^]). Now, here you have a comparison of your possibilities: http://www.slideshare.net/sqlserver.co.il/a-comparative-analysis-of-auditing-solutions-in-sql-server[^].
If you have an other edition, or older server version, you can use tracing approach: http://sqlmag.com/sql-server-2005/get-compliant-sql-server-2005-audit-logging[^].
You could also make use of the SQL Server Extended Events.[^].
And of course you can make use of dml triggers, but that has it's limitations also, see: http://sql-box.com/2011/07/10/track-dml-changes-using-after-trigger-for-update-delete-and-insert-rows-capture-changed-data-rows-using-t-sql/[^] and Quick SQL Server Auditing Setup[^]