Connecting to SQL Server OVer Internet

[Matt]

I know it is possible to establish a connection to an SQL Server over
the Internet via Enterprise Manager. My question is, how secure is this
connection? Is there a best practices document for this type of
connection?

Here is my scenario:

We are looking to outsource our web hosting. Currently, we upload
client sensitive data to our SQL Server databases within our internal
network. If we outsource, the SQL server will be on a different
network. We are behind a firewall here and the dedicated hosted SQL
Server will also be behind a firewall. Is the Enterprise Manager
connection succeptable to hackers? If so any reccomendations on how to
accomplish this would be appreciated.

Another scenario is connecting to the SQL Server through a DSN. Can
this be accomplished from inside our network to outsourced server? How
secure would that connection be?

Thanks in Advance.

[Gregory Dean]

As an ISP with over 700 sites connecting to various SQL and mySQL databases,
I can tell you that there are many ways to accomplish this. The most common
method that we use is SQL replication. Assuming that your new ISP has a SQL
Server they can setup replication and sync the data. This scenario will
allow you (the publisher) to control which tables can be accessed by the
subscriber (your Internet Service Provider).
Another method would be for you to write the communication layer and expose
it to your ISP via .NET web service or COM+.

-Greg
On 2/10/05 1:58 PM, in article
11**********************@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups. com, "Matt"
<ma***********@manning-napier.com> wrote:

I know it is possible to establish a connection to an SQL Server over
the Internet via Enterprise Manager. My question is, how secure is this
connection? Is there a best practices document for this type of
connection?

Here is my scenario:

We are looking to outsource our web hosting. Currently, we upload
client sensitive data to our SQL Server databases within our internal
network. If we outsource, the SQL server will be on a different
network. We are behind a firewall here and the dedicated hosted SQL
Server will also be behind a firewall. Is the Enterprise Manager
connection succeptable to hackers? If so any reccomendations on how to
accomplish this would be appreciated.

Another scenario is connecting to the SQL Server through a DSN. Can
this be accomplished from inside our network to outsourced server? How
secure would that connection be?

Thanks in Advance.

[Matt]

Thank you for your reply Greg. Is SQL Replication secure?

[Gregory Dean]

On 2/10/05 2:48 PM, in article
11**********************@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups. com, "Matt"
<ma***********@manning-napier.com> wrote:

Thank you for your reply Greg. Is SQL Replication secure?

I haven't had a security breech (*knock on wood*).
I think just like anything else it's as secure as long as the service packs
are all up to date.

-Greg

[Brian Cryer]

"Matt" <ma***********@manning-napier.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...

I know it is possible to establish a connection to an SQL Server over
the Internet via Enterprise Manager. My question is, how secure is this
connection? Is there a best practices document for this type of
connection?

Here is my scenario:

We are looking to outsource our web hosting. Currently, we upload
client sensitive data to our SQL Server databases within our internal
network. If we outsource, the SQL server will be on a different
network. We are behind a firewall here and the dedicated hosted SQL
Server will also be behind a firewall. Is the Enterprise Manager
connection succeptable to hackers? If so any reccomendations on how to
accomplish this would be appreciated.

Another scenario is connecting to the SQL Server through a DSN. Can
this be accomplished from inside our network to outsourced server? How
secure would that connection be?

Thanks in Advance.

If you are worried about it being secure, then why not set up a VPN
connection between the two sites. This is really quite straight forward with
Windows.

Brian.

www.cryer.co.uk/brian

[Matt]

Thanks Brian. Can you point me in the direction of establishing a VPN?
The server will be a 2003 server running SQL Server.

Brian Cryer wrote:

"Matt" <ma***********@manning-napier.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...

I know it is possible to establish a connection to an SQL Server over the Internet via Enterprise Manager. My question is, how secure is this connection? Is there a best practices document for this type of
connection?

Here is my scenario:

We are looking to outsource our web hosting. Currently, we upload
client sensitive data to our SQL Server databases within our internal network. If we outsource, the SQL server will be on a different
network. We are behind a firewall here and the dedicated hosted SQL
Server will also be behind a firewall. Is the Enterprise Manager
connection succeptable to hackers? If so any reccomendations on how to accomplish this would be appreciated.

Another scenario is connecting to the SQL Server through a DSN. Can
this be accomplished from inside our network to outsourced server? How secure would that connection be?

Thanks in Advance.
If you are worried about it being secure, then why not set up a VPN
connection between the two sites. This is really quite straight

forward with Windows.

Brian.

www.cryer.co.uk/brian