BUG: Security Mgr w/ Long Group Names Can Cause SQL Shutdown

• Microsoft SQL Server, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

Enumerating members of a group with a long name in SQL Security Manager by clicking on the group can cause SQL Server to shutdown due to an unhandled exception. Executing the extended stored procedure xp_logininfo to find the members of the same group can also cause this behavior.

CAUSE

The problem occurs when a local group is granted access to SQL Server, that local group contains a global group, and the number of characters of the following items exceeds 55 characters:

1. Domain of the local group

WORKAROUND

Rename either the global group or the local group to a shorter name so that the items in the CAUSE section of this article do not exceed 55 characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 6.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The following character limits exist in Windows NT:

item                maximum characters
-----------------   ------------------
domain name         15
machine name        15
global group name   15
local group name    256