Using CCS Agent for SQL Server asset Data Collection with Control Compliance Suite

Products

• Control Compliance Suite Databases MS SQL SRVR

Issue/Introduction

In a scenario where a Windows agent is registered to a CCS Manager, then imported as an asset in the CCS Console, any data collection jobs for this asset will be performed using the agent.

If an SQL Server asset is then added manually and the appropriate SQL credentials added, an SQL data collection job will not be processed using the agent and may not succeed as expected.

Resolution

If the SQL Server asset is added manually (not imported), there would be no association link created between the SQL Server asset and the Windows agent. In this situation, an SQL data collection job will not be run in the context of the agent and will effectively try to run in agentless mode. So, the job will not use the agent as expected and will fail, unless the Windows asset credentials exist, which are required for agentless mode.
 
However, if the SQL Server asset is instead imported in the CCS Console, for an SQL Server instance running on the above agent system, with the scope set to the Network (selecting the Windows asset where the SQL server resides), then a relationship link is made between the SQL Server asset and the Windows agent. In this case, an SQL data collection job will use the Windows agent.
 
In summary, if it is desired to use an agent for SQL data collection, then the SQL Server asset must be imported from the network as described, rather than simply added.