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title sys.fn_get_audit_file (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs
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ms.date 05/16/2017
ms.prod sql-non-specified
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sys.fn_get_audit_file (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDEtsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md]

Returns information from an audit file created by a server audit in [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. For more information, see SQL Server Audit (Database Engine).

Topic link icon Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

fn_get_audit_file ( file_pattern,   
    { default | initial_file_name | NULL },   
    { default | audit_record_offset | NULL } )

Arguments

file_pattern
Specifies the directory or path and file name for the audit file set to be read. Type is nvarchar(260).

  • SQL Server:

    This argument must include both a path (drive letter or network share) and a file name that can include a wildcard. A single asterisk (*) can be used to collect multiple files from an audit file set. For example:

    • <path>\* - Collect all audit files in the specified location.

    • <path>\LoginsAudit_{GUID} - Collect all audit files that have the specified name and GUID pair.

    • <path>\LoginsAudit_{GUID}_00_29384.sqlaudit - Collect a specific audit file.

  • Azure SQL Database:

    This argument is used to specify a blob URL (including the storage endpoint and container). While it does not support an asterisk wildcard, you can use a partial file (blob) name prefix (instead of the full blob name) to collect multiple files (blobs) that begin with this prefix. For example:

    • <Storage_endpoint>/<Container>/<ServerName>/<DatabaseName>/ - collects all audit files (blobs) for the specific database.

    • <Storage_endpoint>/<Container>/<ServerName>/<DatabaseName>/<AuditName>/<CreationDate>/<FileName>.xel - collects a specific audit file (blob).

Note

Passing a path without a file name pattern will generate an error.

initial_file_name
Specifies the path and name of a specific file in the audit file set to start reading audit records from. Type is nvarchar(260).

Note

The initial_file_name argument must contain valid entries or must contain either the default | NULL value.

audit_record_offset
Specifies a known location with the file specified for the initial_file_name. When this argument is used the function will start reading at the first record of the Buffer immediately following the specified offset.

Note

The audit_record_offset argument must contain valid entries or must contain either the default | NULL value. Type is bitint.

Tables Returned

The following table describes the audit file content that can be returned by this function.

Column name Type Description
event_time datetime2 Date and time when the auditable action is fired. Is not nullable.
sequence_number int Tracks the sequence of records within a single audit record that was too large to fit in the write buffer for audits. Is not nullable.
action_id varchar(4) ID of the action. Is not nullable.
succeeded bit Indicates whether the action that triggered the event succeeded. Is not nullable. For all events other than login events, this only reports whether the permission check succeeded or failed, not the operation.
1 = success
0 = fail
permission_bitmask varbinary(16) In some actions, this is the permissions that were grant, denied, or revoked.
is_column_permission bit Flag indicating if this is a column level permission. Is not nullable. Returns 0 when the permission_bitmask = 0.
1 = true
0 = false
session_id smallint ID of the session on which the event occurred. Is not nullable.
server_principal_id int ID of the login context that the action is performed in. Is not nullable.
database_principal_id int ID of the database user context that the action is performed in. Is not nullable. Returns 0 if this does not apply. For example, a server operation.
target_server_principal_id int Server principal that the GRANT/DENY/REVOKE operation is performed on. Is not nullable. Returns 0 if not applicable.
target_database_principal_id int The database principal the GRANT/DENY/REVOKE operation is performed on. Is not nullable. Returns 0 if not applicable.
object_id int The ID of the entity on which the audit occurred. This includes the following:
Server objects
Databases
Database objects
Schema objects
Is not nullable. Returns 0 if the entity is the Server itself or if the audit is not performed at an object level. For example, Authentication.
class_type varchar(2) The type of auditable entity that the audit occurs on. Is not nullable.
session_server_principal_name sysname Server principal for session. Is nullable.
server_principal_name sysname Current login. Is nullable.
server_principal_sid varbinary Current login SID. Is nullable.
database_principal_name sysname Current user. Is nullable. Returns NULL if not available.
target_server_principal_name sysname Target login of action. Is nullable. Returns NULL if not applicable.
target_server_principal_sid varbinary SID of target login. Is nullable. Returns NULL if not applicable.
target_database_principal_name sysname Target user of action. Is nullable. Returns NULL if not applicable.
server_instance_name sysname Name of the server instance where the audit occurred. The standard server\instance format is used.
database_name sysname The database context in which the action occurred. Is nullable. Returns NULL for audits occuring at the server level.
schema_name sysname The schema context in which the action occurred. Is nullable. Returns NULL for audits occuring outside a schema.
object_name sysname The name of the entity on which the audit occurred. This includes the following:
Server objects
Databases
Database objects
Schema objects
Is nullable. Returns NULL if the entity is the Server itself or if the audit is not performed at an object level. For example, Authentication.
statement nvarchar(4000) TSQL statement if it exists. Is nullable. Returns NULL if not applicable.
additional_information nvarchar(4000) Unique information that only applies to a single event is returned as XML. A small number of auditable actions contain this kind of information.

One level of TSQL stack will be displayed in XML format for actions that have TSQL stack associated with them. The XML format will be:

<tsql_stack><frame nest_level = '%u' database_name = '%.*s' schema_name = '%.*s' object_name = '%.*s' /></tsql_stack>

Frame nest_level indicates the current nesting level of the frame. The Module name is represented in three part format (database_name, schema_name and object_name). The module name will be parsed to escape invalid xml characters like '\<', '>', '/', '_x'. They will be escaped as _xHHHH\_. The HHHH stands for the four-digit hexadecimal UCS-2 code for the character

Is nullable. Returns NULL when there is no additional information reported by the event.
file_name varchar(260) The path and name of the audit log file that the record came from. Is not nullable.
audit_file_offset bigint The buffer offset in the file that contains the audit record. Is not nullable.
user_defined_event_id smallint Applies to: [!INCLUDEssSQL11] through [!INCLUDEssCurrent].

User defined event id passed as an argument to sp_audit_write. NULL for system events (default) and non-zero for user-defined event. For more information, see sp_audit_write (Transact-SQL).
user_defined_information nvarchar(4000) Applies to: [!INCLUDEssSQL11] through [!INCLUDEssCurrent].

Used to record any extra information the user wants to record in
audit_schema_version int
sequence_group_id nvarbinary SQL Server only (starting with 2016)
transaction_id bigint SQL Server only (starting with 2016)
client_ip nvarchar(128) Azure SQL DB + SQL Server (starting with 2017)
application_name nvarchar(128) Azure SQL DB + SQL Server (starting with 2017)
duration_milliseconds bigint Azure SQL DB only
response_rows bigint Azure SQL DB only
affected_rows bigint Azure SQL DB only

Remarks

If the file_pattern argument passed to fn_get_audit_file references a path or file that does not exist, or if the file is not an audit file, the MSG_INVALID_AUDIT_FILE error message is returned.

Permissions

  • SQL Server: Requires the CONTROL SERVER permission.
  • Azure SQL DB: Requires the CONTROL DATABASE permission.
    • Server admins can access audit logs of all databases on the server.
    • Non server admins can only access audit logs from the current database.
    • Blobs that do not meet the above criteria will be skipped (a list of skipped blobs will be displayed in the query output message), and the function will return logs only from blobs for which access is allowed.

Examples

  • SQL Server

    This example reads from a file that is named \\serverName\Audit\HIPPA_AUDIT.sqlaudit.

    SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('\\serverName\Audit\HIPPA_AUDIT.sqlaudit',default,default);  
GO

  • Azure SQL Database

    This example reads from a file that is named ShiraServer/MayaDB/SqlDbAuditing_Audit/2017-07-14/10_45_22_173_1.xel.

    SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('https://mystorage.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/ShiraServer/MayaDB/SqlDbAuditing_Audit/2017-07-14/10_45_22_173_1.xel',default,default);
GO

    This example reads all audit logs from servers that begin with Sh.

    SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('https://mystorage.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/Sh',default,default);
GO

For a full example about how to create an audit, see SQL Server Audit (Database Engine).

For information on setting up Azure SQL Database auditing, see Get Started with SQL Database auditing.

See Also

CREATE SERVER AUDIT (Transact-SQL)
ALTER SERVER AUDIT (Transact-SQL)
DROP SERVER AUDIT (Transact-SQL)
CREATE SERVER AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
ALTER SERVER AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
DROP SERVER AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
CREATE DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
ALTER DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
DROP DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)
ALTER AUTHORIZATION (Transact-SQL)
sys.server_audits (Transact-SQL)
sys.server_file_audits (Transact-SQL)
sys.server_audit_specifications (Transact-SQL)
sys.server_audit_specification_details (Transact-SQL)
sys.database_audit_specifications (Transact-SQL)
sys.database_audit_specification_details (Transact-SQL)
sys.dm_server_audit_status (Transact-SQL)
sys.dm_audit_actions (Transact-SQL)
sys.dm_audit_class_type_map (Transact-SQL)
Create a Server Audit and Server Audit Specification