Minimum Active Directory required for SQL Server 2012 Enterprise

  • I have had a request from our Network Admin as to "what is the minimum level of Active Directory required for SQL 2012?"

    Note that I am not asking for the minimum Windows Server level that SQL Server 2012 is installed on, but rather the minimum level for the network's Domain Controller.

    Fal.

  • Interesting question. I did a quick search but couldn't find anything. My quess is that the minimum level is determined by Windows Server, not SQL Server.

  • I did quite a bit of searching also, but not joy. We're moving servers to a new host and the Network guy doesn't want to upgrade Active Directory if he doesn't have to. But we don't want to start rolling down the hill and then discover some mission critical bit doesn't function because we didn't.

    Fal.

  • As far as I'm aware, no version of SQL server actually requires Active Directory at all in order to function--you can install them on a standalone server if you wish. Obviously that presents some potential management issues with permissions and the like, but it's doable.

  • Fal (9/3/2013)


    I have had a request from our Network Admin as to "what is the minimum level of Active Directory required for SQL 2012?"

    Note that I am not asking for the minimum Windows Server level that SQL Server 2012 is installed on, but rather the minimum level for the network's Domain Controller.

    Fal.

    The AD domain level dictates which computers can act as DCs and provide extra security functionality, since you'll likely be on Windows 2008 by now Windows 2008 domain\forest functionality would make most sense.

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

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