Microsoft SQL Database Connection
To configure an ODBC connection for Microsoft SQL database, you
must define the following settings of the DSN used by BigFix:
- Name
- The name of the DSN used to identify stored an ODBC Data Source. BigFix looks
for DSNs with names like
enterprise_setupandbes_bfenterprise. BigFix components expect a DSN with a certain name to exist and automatically attempts to use those DSNs to connect to the database. For example the Console and the Administration Tool use any DSN with thebes_prefix on it even if these DSNs are displayed without the prefix when launched. - Server
- This field specifies the machine where the BigFix database,
to which the DSN connects, resides. If you are setting a remote database,
change this field to point to the database machine for all DSNs that
are created automatically by BigFix installers.
When you perform any upgrade, the system resets the DSNs to point to the BigFix Server. Therefore, after any upgrade to the BigFix Consoles or to the BigFix Server, ensure that you set again the DSNs to the values previously specified.
- Authentication Method
- You can set two types of authentication: Windows NT or SQL authentication.
The Windows NT authentication method uses your Windows Login and Password as the Login ID and Password to the database.
The SQL authentication method requires a Login ID and Password supplied manually every time a connection to the database is made.
You can set up the BigFix components to use either of these two authentication methods. Choose one approach and maintain the use of that scheme for configuring DSNs, apart from the
bes_EnterpriseServerDSN which must always use the SQL authentication. - Default Database
- The default database is the database instance that this DSN uses.
The defaultBigFix database
instances are:
bfenterpriseandBESReportingby default. If the DSN is going to be used for Web Reports it will default to theBESReportingdatabase instance. Otherwise the DSN usesbfenterpriseby default. Your authentication information is used to access this database instance as well. There are two levels of permissions on SQL Server, the first is to access the database itself and the second to access database instances.Note: Select Connect to SQL Server to obtain default settings for the additional configuration options and provide an ID and password only if you want to test the connection. The Login ID and Password you provide are not stored with the DSN. They are used to obtain default settings and test the DSN. After the configuration of the DSN is complete, this information is discarded. You must provide the same credentials every time the SQL authenticated DSN attempts to connect to the database.
| BigFix Component | DSN | Authentication Methods |
|---|---|---|
| BigFix server installation | enterprise_setup |
NT |
| BigFix server | bes_bfenterprise |
NT or SQL |
| BigFix console | any DSN beginning with bes_ |
NT or SQL |
| BigFix Administration tool | any DSN beginning with bes_ |
NT or SQL |
| BigFix Web Reports | LocalBESReportingServer Note: the
LocalBESReportingServer DSN contains configuration and login data
and not data shown in Web Reports reports. In Web Reports on the Database
Settings page when adding a new database or configuring a remote database,
use the bes_bfenterprise DSN. |
NT or SQL |