What is the performance impact of ApexSQL Audit?
In general, performance impact of ApexSQL Audit shouldn’t be significant in most production environments. It cases when heavy traffic servers are being audited for significant amount of different events, there can be significant performance impact when central instance of ApexSQL Audit is installed on a production server – the higher server activity, the larger impact. Installation of ApexSQL on a dedicated server/Virtual machine provides the full performance without any significant impact on the production database server. ApexSQL Audit process all the data processed by SQL Server itself plus the trace technology and additional internal data and communication impact. We can provide guidance on this as needed.
What technology does ApexSQL Audit use to audit?
ApexSQL Audit utilizes the Trace file technology which is the part of SQL Server itself. From ApexSQL Audit 2017 R4, in addition to SQL Server traces, users will be able to opt for more advanced Extended Events technology, which is the part SQL Server. Also, for the purpose of before-after auditing, ApexSQL Audit utilizes database triggers.
Does ApexSQL Audit support “Before and after”
Yes, before-after auditing is fully supported in ApexSQL Audit as a separate auditing task to ‘regular’ auditing. It utilizes different.separate mechanisms for this purpose – database triggers.
How are selects handled? What is shown? Is selected data shown?
Application can log the select statement query, but no data values will be displayed in the statement text.
What reporting does ApexSQL Audit have?
ApexSQL Audit features two type of reports – built-in and custom reports
18 reports in 5 categories:
General
- Complete audit trial – can display all collected events
- Backup and DBCC activities
Compliance standard
- HIPAA
- PCI
- SOX
- CFR 11
- Basel II
- FERPA
- GLBA
Change and activity auditing
- DML history (all DML operations)
- DDL history (all DDL operations)
- Access history – show event that accessed particular object or objects including the objects accessed
Security
- Security configuration history – displays any change SQL Server configuration related to security
- Login activity history
- Permission changes
- Unauthorized access
Auditing overview (this are the reports related to application own settings)
- Audit settings history
- Audit integrity checks
Option for exporting reports are CSV, PDF, DOC and XLS file formats.
Standalone ApexSQL Audit reporting application allows users to only perform reporting-related tasks (in addition to central ApexSQL Audit GUI), and it can be installed on any machine inside the local network or inside the domain.
February 2, 2015
