Organizations across the globe are being inundated with regulatory requirements. They also have a strong need to better manage their IT systems to ensure they are operating efficiently and staying secure. Microsoft is often asked to provide guidance and technology to assist organizations struggling with compliance. The SQL Server 2008 Compliance Guidance white paper was written to help organizations and individuals understand how to use the features of the Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 database software to address their compliance needs. This paper serves as an accompaniment to the SQL Server 2008 compliance software development kit (SDK), which provides sample code and guidance for understanding SQL Server 2008 compliance features and using them for developing solutions. 

This paper is breaks down the main elements of:

• Understanding Compliance
• Implementing IT Controls with SQL Server 2008
• Securing the Platform
• Controlling Identity and Separation of Duties
• Separation of Duties
• Encrypting Database Data
• Auditing Sensitive Operations
• Using Policy-Based Management to Define, Deploy, and Validate Policy

As well, it contains a whole list of Helpful scripts and tips including:

• Programming Interfaces to SQL Server
• Ensuring Security Settings
• Managing Separation of Duties
• Managing Encryption Keys
• Managing Auditing including a full end-to-end centralized Auditing project including reports
• Managing Policy-Based Management Policies

For more information, please refer to the whitepaper Reaching Compliance.

You can also download the samples scripts, presentations, and tools for this guide.