The purpose of this article is to enlist recommended items that needs to be excluded from AntiVirus or AntiMalware scanning software’s on server machine where Microsoft SQL Server is installed.
This can also help improve the overall SQL Server performance, these items will apply to both realtime and on-demand scanning schedules configuration.
1. SQL Server Data & Log Files (You need to look for files with extensions like .MDF, .NDF, .LDF)
2. SQL Server Backup files (You need to look for files with extensions like .BAK and .TRN)
3. Full-Text Catalog Files (This is the FTData folder in the SQL Server installation path, located by default at \Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLX.X\MSSQL\FTData on the SQL Server installation drive)
Please do check each MSSQLX.X folder, there will be multiple FTData folders which need to be excluded from antivirus scanning
4. SQL Server Analysis Services Backups Files (Recommended is to exclude entire Directory that is holding Analysis Services files that is used for processing Cubes)
Note: If Analysis Services are not configured, the OLAP folder will not be present.
These locations contain the Analysis data files, Analytics temporary files, Analysis Log files and Analysis backup files. The default locations for these files on the SQL Server installation drive are:
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSASX.X\OLAP\Data – Analysis data and temporary files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSASX.X\OLAP\Backup – Analysis backup files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSASX.X\OLAP\Log – Analysis Log files.
5. Trace/Profiler Files (You need to look for files with extensions like .TRC)
6. SQL Server Query Files (Extensions like .SQL)
7. Exclude SQLServer.Exe file, ReportingServicesService.Exe, MSMDSrv.exe application files
- %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.<Instance Name>\MSSQL\Binn\SQLServr.exe
- %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.<Instance Name>\Reporting Services\ReportServer\Bin\ReportingServicesService.exe
- %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.<Instance Name>\OLAP\Bin\MSMDSrv.exe
8. Cluster Directory (Usually it is C:\Windows\Cluster)
9. SQL Server Audit Files (You need to look for files with extensions like .sqlaudit)
Thanks for reading,
SABIT SOLUTIONS