lacework-global-287
6.3.3 Ensure 'user Connections' Database Flag for Cloud Sql Sql Server Instance Is Set to a Non-limiting Value (Automated)
Profile Applicability
• Level 1
Description
It is recommended to check the user connections
for a Cloud SQL SQL Server instance to ensure that it is 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 has not been set on the instance before, 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 SQL Server database instance using the below command.
gcloud sql instances patch <INSTANCE_NAME> --database-flags "user connections=[0-32,767]"
note
This command will overwrite 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 is set to its 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
warning
This patch modifies database flag values, which may require your instance to be restarted. Check the list of supported flags - https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/flags - to see if your instance will be restarted when this patch is submitted.
note
Some database flag settings can affect instance availability or stability, and remove the instance from the Cloud SQL SLA. For information about these flags, see Operational Guidelines.
note
Configuring the above flag does not restart the Cloud SQL instance.