What are the Ramifications of Renaming the Windows OS Default Administrator Account

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What are the Ramifications of Renaming the Windows OS Default Administrator Account

JC-3113

SSCrazy Eights

Points: 8371
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January 17, 2012 at 9:24 am

#249828

Hi Folks
I have a question for any windows admin gurus as it relates to sql server 2005 install and databases
Some years ago someone renamed windows os default administrator account
Since then, this account has been used to install sql server 2005 as well as creating 22 sql server databases
Now someone wants this account to be renamed again
My questions are:
What are the ramifications of renaming the account that installed sql server 2005 ?
What are the ramifications to the 22 databases that were created with this account ?
OS: Windows 2003
RDBMS: SQL Server 2005
Thanks
Jim

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736193 More actions · Answer 1

Is this account the owner of the databases or is it mapped to "sa"?

The installation shouldn't matter. It's the access and perhaps ownership of this account. The SID should stay the same, but it's possible that the name might cause something unforseen to occur. I wouldn't think so, but I wonder about the places where this name is stored in the various tables.

I suspect you could just change things inside SQL Server.

Is there some reason they want to rename the Windows administrator account?

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 2

Hi Steve

well when i look at owner_sid in sys.databases it shows this account as the creator (see attachment)

the reason, well... that is my question to the folks at this Air Force Base I work for.

They do things here without understanding the ramifications.

Something about changing the group policies on their servers, but not really sure other than that

They now say that this account (after 7 years now) should not be used on the server so I believe they want to rename it and change the group policy

I am trying to fight any changes to this account, as it is tied to not only my sql servers and databases but my oracle servers and databases as well.

Thanks

Jim

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736193 More actions · Answer 3

I'd change the db owners to a new account, since it shouldn't affect anything if you make the change. Use "sa" or another real account.

For the other stuff, I might virtualize the SQL Server and a DC, and then test the change. You ought to be able to do a P->V for testing.

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 4

Hi Steve

okay, so i guess i would do an

ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA for the databases then ?

you lost me on P-> V

Thanks

Jim

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736193 More actions · Answer 5

P-V, physical to virtual migration. Essentially snapshot the Windows OS as a point in time and recreate as a virtual machine. You can leave the physical, and bring up the two VMs (DC and SQL) on a separate network.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb963740.aspx

Is the schema not owned by DBO, or this specific user? If a user, you'd need to move that as well. Anything owned by the user might need to be moved. Is there a reason it's owned by this user, or just defaults?

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 6

Hi Steve

best i can tell the schema was created by the account logged in at the time. In this case it was "LLADMIN"

DBO does not own any schemas

a majority are sharepoint databases so i am little concerned about those

with the exception of master,model,msdb, tempdb, owned by sa, all other schemas are owned by the logged in account when it was created

so can i just execute this command on these databases to change the owner, if i have to ?

ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA.....

Thanks

Jim

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736193 More actions · Answer 7

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

SSC Guru

Points: 736193

January 17, 2012 at 3:09 pm

#1434901

yes

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 8

JC-3113

SSCrazy Eights

Points: 8371

January 17, 2012 at 3:46 pm

#1434913

thanks

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 9

Hi Folks

another issue just cropped up with regards to database owners and need some advice

it seems that a majority of my databases were created by lets say Domain1\User1

User1 is now being created in a new called Domain2

Domain1 is going away at some point

What is the ramification of this scenario since my databases will still have the previous owner associated with them ?

What do I need to do since all these new owners are now in a different domain and the databases will still show the previous owner

Thanks

Jim

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 234013 More actions · Answer 10

JC-3113 (2/10/2012)
Hi Folks
another issue just cropped up with regards to database owners and need some advice
it seems that a majority of my databases were created by lets say Domain1\User1
User1 is now being created in a new called Domain2
Domain1 is going away at some point
What is the ramification of this scenario since my databases will still have the previous owner associated with them ?
What do I need to do since all these new owners are now in a different domain and the databases will still show the previous owner
Thanks
Jim

change the database owner to a valid account using sp_changedbowner stored procedure.

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

JC-3113 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8371 More actions · Answer 11

How are these two statements different in changing the owner of the database ?

EXEC sp_changedbowner 'Emil';

ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA::Franny TO Emil;

Thanks

Jim