Configuring authentication and authorization

SQL Server security works in layers. As a first step, SQL Server will perform authentication, whereby SQL Server determines who you are and if you can log in. If you're successfully logged on, then SQL Server will perform authorization, determining if you can do what you're trying to do. In the next part of the chapter, we will see how to configure server authentication, how to work with server objects, and how to assign server-level permissions.

Authentication

SQL Server comes with two authentication modes, as follows:

• SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode (frequently called Mixed mode)
• Windows Authentication mode

As the names of the modes would suggest, you can always log in with some sort of Windows credential. On top of that, SQL Server can be configured to use its own accounting and isolated accounts stored directly on SQL Server.

You can choose the authentication&...