---
title: "Policy-Based Management Storage | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "08/09/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: security
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "Policy-Based Management, storage"
ms.assetid: d0cbf214-fc2e-4917-8d31-1d71c9ffa61d
author: VanMSFT
ms.author: vanto
---
# Policy-Based Management Storage
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  Policies are stored in the msdb database. After a policy or condition is changed, msdb should be backed up. For more information, see [Back Up and Restore of System Databases (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/back-up-and-restore-of-system-databases-sql-server.md).  
  
## Storing Policies  
 [!INCLUDE[ssCurrent](../../includes/sscurrent-md.md)] includes policies that can be used to monitor an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. By default, these policies are not installed on the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)]; however, they can be imported from the default installation location of C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\140\Tools\Policies\DatabaseEngine\1033.  
  
 You can directly create policies by using the **File/New** menu, and then saving them to a file. This enables you to create policies when you are not connected to an instance of the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)].  
  
 Policy history for policies evaluated in the current instance of the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)] is maintained in msdb system tables. Policy history for policies applied to other instances of the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)] or applied to [!INCLUDE[ssRSnoversion](../../includes/ssrsnoversion-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] is not retained.