SQL Installation - Windows Authentication or mixed?

itinkiam · 2009-07-02

I'm confused by MS installation notes on SQL for NAV. They say to install SQL with Windows Authentication. From early NAV installation documentation, NAV requirement was always to have at least a single SUPER user in database logins. Has that requirement gone? I'm not seeing anything in docs.

help set me straight?

thanks! :oops:

Alex_Chow · 2009-07-02

Use Mixed. It's a lot more flexible.

DenSter · 2009-07-02

Having one SUPER (with access to all companies) is a requirement, but you were never forced to make that a database login. If you absolutely want to install in Windows only that's perfectly fine.

bbrown · 2009-07-03

While "mixed mode" is a valid configuration (I tend to use it), Microsoft's recommendation is "Windows Only. They consider "database logins" to be there for supporting connctions from non-MS systems when required.

kine · 2009-07-03

"Microsoft's recommendation" for SQL or for NAV? From SQL point of view yes, it is preffered. From NAV point of view, mixed is is better (you can use more functionality of the system). ;-)

bbrown · 2009-07-03

kine wrote:

"Microsoft's recommendation" for SQL or for NAV? From SQL point of view yes, it is preffered. From NAV point of view, mixed is is better (you can use more functionality of the system). ;-)

I was talking from the SQL point of view. I don't disagree with you from the NAV point of view. As I said, I tend to use "mixed mode". We may find that this "NAV point of view" changes when the native database goes away.

kine wrote:

... (you can use more functionality of the system). ;-)

Can you elaborate on this? I can't think of anything that requires database logins, except access from a system that can't support Windows Authentication. (but it is early and I haven't had my coffee). And yes, there's the part about moving it back to native, but that's no different then moving a SQL database to another system.

David_Singleton · 2009-07-03

bbrown wrote:

...And yes, there's the part about moving it back to native, but that's no different then moving a SQL database to another system.

Have you ever heard of that happening though?

bbrown · 2009-07-03

David Singleton wrote:

bbrown wrote:

...And yes, there's the part about moving it back to native, but that's no different then moving a SQL database to another system.

Have you ever heard of that happening though?

I'm referring to the situation where a consultant may take a backup and restore to a local DB on their laptop. Yes, I know you can just use SQL Developer Edition, but I still see many consultants (and some developers) that are more "comfortable" with a local native database.

bbrown · 2009-07-03

kine wrote:

"Microsoft's recommendation" for SQL or for NAV? From SQL point of view yes, it is preffered. From NAV point of view, mixed is is better (you can use more functionality of the system). ;-)

I actually have tended to use "mixed mode" in the vast majority of my SQL installations over the years (this includes non-NAV systems). I would tend to use "Windows Authentication" only if there was a specific requirement for it. The one thing that "mixed mode" gave me was a more flexible remote access enviroment (talking non-NAV here).

kine · 2009-07-03

bbrown wrote:

Can you elaborate on this? I can't think of anything that requires database logins, except access from a system that can't support Windows Authentication. (but it is early and I haven't had my coffee). And yes, there's the part about moving it back to native, but that's no different then moving a SQL database to another system.

As you described. I mean you can use DB logins, thus use this "functionality" in situations when AD is not available, or users are using same Windows profile, or you need to have remote access from your notebook when you are on site etc. It means there is area which cannot be used when Windows only authentication is used. It looks like just a simple feature, but in many cases it helps like some big addon... 8)

bbrown · 2009-07-03

kine wrote:

bbrown wrote:

Can you elaborate on this? I can't think of anything that requires database logins, except access from a system that can't support Windows Authentication. (but it is early and I haven't had my coffee). And yes, there's the part about moving it back to native, but that's no different then moving a SQL database to another system.

As you described. I mean you can use DB logins, thus use this "functionality" in situations when AD is not available, or users are using same Windows profile, or you need to have remote access from your notebook when you are on site etc. It means there is area which cannot be used when Windows only authentication is used. It looks like just a simple feature, but in many cases it helps like some big addon... 8)

Agreed. As you know, a vendor's preferred (recommended) configuration isn't always the best configuration in the real-world. (But it can be helpful to know the vendor's view when it comes to taking exams.)

David_Singleton · 2009-07-03

Although I always setup mixedmode, I can only think of two scenarious where I use it.

The first is testing security. Its nice to be able to create Database Login the same as the users windows login to test issues with security.

Second is when I need to log in as me from another users computer. DB logins make that much easier to find problems.

David_Singleton · 2009-07-03

bbrown wrote:

I'm referring to the situation where a consultant may take a backup and restore to a local DB on their laptop. Yes, I know you can just use SQL Developer Edition, but I still see many consultants (and some developers) that are more "comfortable" with a local native database.

As a personal rule I simply don't allow this. I have seen too many cases where a subtle difference between test and live environments has caused big problems. So the consultants use the same as live.

Thinking further though LS Retail is one case that does fit your scenario.

Alfi2009 · 2009-07-22

As part of my job I support lots of Navision installations remotely using a combination of citrix/remote desktop/VNC/gotoassist/Cisco etc and I think mixed mode is the way to go. When a customer calls and say's xyz does not work remotely accessing the customers PC allows you to see what they see and then I would need to use the debugger or view data or code so the option to log back in using database authentication but still be on the same windows account makes solving problems a lot easier.

Incidently enhanced mode gives us the most problems and I do not like it.

kriki · 2009-09-03

[Topic moved from 'NAV 2009' forum to 'NAV/Navision' forum]

SQL Installation - Windows Authentication or mixed?

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