Security - Pro SQL Azure - page 83

Firewall
SQL Azure comes with its own firewall, which you can configure directly from the SQL Azure portal, as
previously covered in Chapter 3. You can also view and change firewall rules in T-SQL. Let's take a quick
look at the available SQL statements.

Note You need to be connected to the master database to view or change firewall rules. At least one connection
rule must be added to the firewall through the SQL Azure portal before a connection can be made.

To view the current firewall rules, execute this statement:
SELECT * FROM sys.firewall_rules
You can see that each rule has a name; the name is used as a unique key. The sp_set_firewall_rule
command allows you to add a new rule.
It may take a few minutes for the new rules to take effect. For example, the following statement adds
a new rule called NewRule. Notice that the first parameter must be a Unicode string:
sp_set_firewall_rule N'NewRule', '192.168.1.1', '192.168.1.10'
To delete a rule, run the following statement:
sp_delete_firewall_rule N'NewRule'

Compliance
Although cloud computing creates new challenges for organizations from a risk-management
standpoint, Microsoft's cloud data centers undergo multiple audits and assessments based on their local
regulations. In order to facilitate its compliance audits and assessment, Microsoft created the
Operational Compliance team, which designed a common compliance framework for its operations.
According to Microsoft, its cloud computing infrastructure is compliant with multiple regulations
including PCI, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Sarbanes-Oxley. It also
has achieved numerous certifications, including

• ISO/IEC 27001:2005

• SAS 70 Type I and II

Note For more information about Microsoft's compliance initiatives, visit
www.globalfoundationservices.com .