The Surface Area Configuration for Features tool provides a single interface for enabling or disabling many Database Engine, Analysis Services, and Reporting Services features. Disabling unused features helps to secure your SQL Server installations by reducing the SQL Server surface area.
The tables below list the default for each setting and provide links to F1 Help topics.
Ad hoc distributed queries
Disabled in new installations.
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Ad Hoc Remote Queries) - Database Engine
Common language runtime (CLR) integration
Surface Area Configuration for Features (CLR Integration) - Database Engine
Dedicated administrator connection (DAC)
Surface Area Configuration for Features (DAC) - Database Engine
Database Mail
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Database Mail) - Database Engine
Native XML Web services
Endpoints are not configured by default.
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Native XML Web Services) - Database Engine
OLE Automation stored procedures
Surface Area Configuration for Features (OLE Automation) - Database Engine
Service Broker
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Service Broker) - Database Engine
SQL Mail
Surface Area Configuration for Features (SQL Mail) - Database Engine
Web Assistant stored procedures
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Web Assistant) - Database Engine
xp_cmdshell
Surface Area Configuration for Features (xp_cmdshell) - Database Engine
Ad hoc data mining queries
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Ad Hoc Data Mining Queries) - Analysis Services
Anonymous connections
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Anonymous Connections) - Analysis Services
Linked objects
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Linked Objects) - Analysis Services
User-defined functions
Surface Area Configuration for Features (User-Defined Functions) - Analysis Services
Web service requests and HTTP access
Enabled in new installations.
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Web Service and HTTP Access) - Reporting Services
Scheduled events and report delivery
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Scheduled Events and Report Delivery) - Reporting Services
Windows Integrated Security
Enabled in new installations
Surface Area Configuration for Features (Windows Integrated Security) - Reporting Services
