Pros of having SQL server added to AD

What are the pros of having SQL Server instance added to Active Directory ?
I was looking at the server properties and saw the Active Directory tab and
had an option to add it.
What may be the cons ? Right now none of our SQL Servers are added. Do most
of you add the server to AD ? What am I missing by not doing so ? Thanks
Well, are you using AD for anything now? If not, it is unlikely that the
mere adding of SQL Server to AD will produce any tangible benefits.
What you get by adding SQL Server to AD are things like Service Publication,
which is just a fancy form of an alias or DNS, IMHO. For example, if SQL
Server is on myServer01, it can be published through AD, then you can move
the server and clients do not need to know that the server has moved...
Since, instead of using a hard-coded IP address or server name, you are
going through AD, and it is redirecting you based solely on the name of the
database you want to connect to. This means you will have to change your
applications (and expect to need this flexibility) before you will see this
benefit.
A few of the problems I see with the above approach:
(a) obviously with AD there are more security considerations, so it won't be
like SQL Server authentication anymore. Apps have to be rewritten and
protecting the directory might take a significant amount of work.
(b) in our environment we have several locations with the same database -
e.g. Dev, QA, Production. If I want to connect to the Sales database, I now
have to think about this differently. Instead of "just connect to the Sales
database on the QA server," I now have to give each one a distinct
publication name, such as QA-SalesDB. This isn't a difficult change, and in
fact in some lights it is better, but it is a change, and we know how some
people are resistant to even the smallest delta in mindset or approach.
(c) using SQL through ADSI versus directly through the OLEDB provider can
cause some problems with existing code (and habits that will lend to
continuing to write code this way). There is no longer the ability to use
SELECT * ... You must name your columns.
As in a previous thread, I strongly suggest you spend some time reading on
the subject. You'll be much better informed to make a decision than just
listening to opinions (which are not based at all on anything specific in
YOUR environment).
ADSI and using SQL Server through AD are documented in MSDN Online, as well
as several 3rd party web sites.
On 3/20/05 2:51 PM, in article #NqyHZYLFHA.732@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl,
"Hassan" <fatima_ja@.hotmail.com> wrote:

> What are the pros of having SQL Server instance added to Active Directory ?
> I was looking at the server properties and saw the Active Directory tab and
> had an option to add it.
> What may be the cons ? Right now none of our SQL Servers are added. Do most
> of you add the server to AD ? What am I missing by not doing so ? Thanks
>