lacework-global-287
6.3.3 Set 'user Connections' Database Flag for Cloud SQL on SQL Server Instance to a Non-limiting Value (Automated)
Profile Applicability
• Level 1
Description
Best practices recommend ensuring that user connections
for a Cloud SQL on SQL Server instance are not artificially limiting connections.
Rationale
The user connections
option specifies the maximum number of simultaneous user connections that are allowed on an instance of SQL Server. The actual number of user connections allowed also depends on the version of SQL Server that you are using, and also the limits of your application or applications and hardware. SQL Server allows a maximum of 32,767 user connections. Because user connections is by default a self-configuring value, with SQL Server adjusting the maximum number of user connections automatically as needed, up to the maximum value allowable. For example, if only 10 users are logged in, 10 user connection objects are allocated. In most cases, you do not have to change the value for this option. The default is 0, which means that the maximum (32,767) user connections are allowed. However if there is a number defined here that limits connections, SQL Server will not allow anymore above this limit. If the connections are at the limit, any new requests will be dropped, potentially causing lost data or outages for those using the database.
Impact
Setting custom flags via command line on certain instances will cause all omitted flags to be reset to defaults. This may cause you to lose custom flags and could result in unforeseen complications or instance restarts. Because of this, it is recommended you apply these flags changes during a period of low usage.
Audit
Using Console:
- Go to the Cloud SQL Instances page in the Google Cloud Console by visiting https://console.cloud.google.com/sql/instances.
- Select the instance to open its
Instance Overview
page - Ensure the database flag
user connections
listed under theDatabase flags
section is .
Using Command Line:
- Ensure the below command returns a value of 0, for every Cloud SQL SQL Server database instance.
gcloud sql instances list --format=json | jq '.settings.databaseFlags[] | select(.name=="user connections")|.value'
Remediation
Using Console:
- Go to the Cloud SQL Instances page in the Google Cloud Console by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/sql/instances.
- Select the SQL Server instance for which you want to enable to database flag.
- Click
Edit
. - Scroll down to the
Flags
section. - To set a flag that is new to the instance, click
Add item
, choose the flaguser connections
from the drop-down menu, and set its value to your organization recommended value. - Click
Save
to save your changes. - Confirm your changes under
Flags
on the Overview page.
Using Command Line:
- Configure the
user connections
database flag for every Cloud SQL on SQL Server database instance using the below command.
gcloud sql instances patch <instance_name> --database-flags "user connections=[0-32,767]"
This command overwrites all database flags previously set. To keep those and add new ones, include the values for all flags you want set on the instance; any flag not specifically included uses the default value. For flags that do not take a value, specify the flag name followed by an equals sign ("=").
References
https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/flags
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/configure-the-user-connections-server-configuration-option?view=sql-server-ver15
https://www.stigviewer.com/stig/ms_sql_server_2016_instance/2018-03-09/finding/V-79119
Additional Information
This patch modifies database flag values, which may require you to restart your instance. The list of supported flags is on this page, along with details of which flags require a restart: https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/flags.
Some database flag settings can affect instance availability or stability, and remove the instance from the Cloud SQL Service-Level Agreement (SLA). For information about these flags, see Operational Guidelines.
Configuring the preceding flag does not restart the Cloud SQL instance.