Global versus session settings

Some Adaptive Server global settings are similar to session-level settings. For example, both sp_configure and sp_passwordpolicy include a minimum password length parameter.

If a global and session-level parameters configure the same setting, only the session level setting applies to the login (login level settings override global settings).

For example, if you set this global configuration configuration parameter:

sp_configure 'minimum password length' 12

And you attempt to add user joe to the server with a insufficiently long password:

sp_adduser joe, joejoe

The command fails:

Msg 10317, Level 14, State 1:
Procedure 'sp_password', Line 118:
The specified password is too short. Passwords must be at least 12 character(s) long.
Msg 17720, Level 16, State 1:
Procedure 'sp_password', Line 128:
Error:  Unable to set the Password.

However, if you set sp_passwordpolicy to a shorter length, Adaptive Server requires a shorter password length for this session:

sp_passwordpolicy 'set', 'minimum password length', 6

The command succeeds:

sp_addlogin joe, joejoe

Password correctly set.
Account unlocked.
New login created.
(return status = 0)

Adaptive Server tests all configuration limits independently, and the login attempt must pass all the applicable limits to succeed.