SQL Server 2008 & the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration Tool

SQL Server 2008 does away with the dedicated Surface Area Configuration Tool included with SQL Server 2005 in favor of leveraging a new facet within SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) to now expose the properties necessary to make changes to options not available through the 2008 SQL Server Configuration Manager.

The new facet is called Surface Area Configuration and is accessed via SSMS by right-clicking on the instance name and choosing Facets. You then select Surface Area Configuration from the Facet Drop-Down box and there you go. Access to some feature options that you might have thought you lost after upgrading to 2008, but low and behold, Microsoft still has you covered! Interestingly enough, this works as a single replacement alternative for the 2005 Surface Area Configuration Tool as it works with SQL Server 2005 instances as well (if you’re using SSMS 2008).

Make sure you dig around a little in the View Facets form as there are some more interesting nuggets hiding in there for you to discover….