Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections

SQL Server Setup

The Surface Area Configuration for Features tool provides a single interface for enabling or disabling Microsoft SQL Server 2005 services and network protocols used for remote connections. Disabling unused services and connection types helps to secure your SQL Server installations by reducing the SQL Server surface area.

The tables below list the default for each setting and provide links to F1 Help topics.

Windows Services and Network Protocol Defaults

Service or protocol Default setting F1 Help topic

Database Engine service

Startup can be set to Automatic or Manual during installation.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Database Engine

Database Engine remote connections

Remote connections are disabled in SQL Server 2005 Express, Evaluation, and Developer editions and are enabled in other editions.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Remote Connections) - Database Engine

Analysis Services service

Startup can be set to Automatic or Manual during installation.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Analysis Services

Analysis Services remote connections

Remote connections are disabled in SQL Server 2005 Express, Evaluation, and Developer editions and are enabled in other editions.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Remote Connections) - Analysis Services

Reporting Services service

Startup can be set to Automatic or Manual during installation.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Reporting Services

SQL Server Agent service

If installed, the startup type is set to Manual and the service is stopped.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - SQL Server Agent

Full-text Search service

If installed, startup is set to Manual and the service is stopped.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Full-Text Search

Notification Services instance services

Services not installed during setup.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Notification Services

Integration Services service

If installed, the service is set to the Automatic startup mode.

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - Integration Services

SQL Server Browser service

Startup is set to Automatic in the following conditions:

  • When there are named instances of the Database Engine or Analysis Services on the server
  • When installed on a cluster
  • When installed side-by-side with SQL Server 2000

Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections (Service) - SQL Server Browser

See Also