Using SQL Server Audit

You can control server audits, server audit specifications, and database audit specifications the same way that you control them for on-premises database servers.

Creating audits

You create server audits in the same way that you create them for on-premises database servers. For information about how to create server audits, see CREATE SERVER AUDIT in the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.

To avoid errors, adhere to the following limitations:

• Don't exceed the maximum number of supported server audits per instance of 50.

• Instruct SQL Server to write data to a binary file.

• Don't use RDS_ as a prefix in the server audit name.

• For FILEPATH, specify D:\rdsdbdata\SQLAudit.

• For MAXSIZE, specify a size between 2 MB and 50 MB.

• Don't configure MAX_ROLLOVER_FILES or MAX_FILES.

• Don't configure SQL Server to shut down the DB instance if it fails to write the audit record.

Creating audit specifications

You create server audit specifications and database audit specifications the same way that you create them for on-premises database servers. For information about creating audit specifications, see CREATE SERVER AUDIT SPECIFICATION and CREATE DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION in the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.

To avoid errors, don't use RDS_ as a prefix in the name of the database audit specification or server audit specification.