Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Cloud and workloadsVerify SQL machine protection
In brief
The article now presents procedures for checking coverage across an Azure subscription or for an individual SQL server VM. It explicitly names the protection-status recommendation and troubleshooting guide, and reiterates that recommendation status refreshes every 12 hours.
What Defender admins need to know
Administrators can more easily locate the recommendation and troubleshooting steps when validating SQL Server on Machines coverage.
Summaries are generated from the documentation change itself.
Documentation change
View on Microsoft LearnThe comparison below shows only the changed extract. Use the full-page view for complete context.
After you enable Defender for SQL Servers on Machines, use this articlethe following verification procedures to verifyconfirm coverage for SQL Servers on Azure VMs, on-premises machines, and multicloud resources. You can check the protection status across an entire Azure subscription or verify a single SQL server VM or Azure Arc SQL Server instance.
Verify protection on an entire Azure subscription
Defender for Cloud presents The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected recommendation. ThisThe The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected recommendation allows you to review the protection status of Defender for SQL Servers on Machines. TheThis recommendation identifies all SQL VMs and Azure Arc SQL Server instances within a specified Azure subscription, and presents the protection status of each SQL Server instance.
Sign in to the Azure portal.
Select the unhealthy resource.
Follow the
troubleshooting guidesteps in the Troubleshoot SQL machines protection guide, starting at Step 3: Identify and resolve protection misconfigurations at the SQL Server instance Level.
Defender for Cloud updates the The status of theMicrosoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the Troubleshoot SQL machines protection guide to fix each unprotected SQL server instance.
Verify protection on a single SQL server VM
- (Optional) Resolve the unprotected server instance status with the troubleshooting SQL Server on Machines guide.
Defender for Cloud updates the The status of theMicrosoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the Troubleshoot SQL machines protection guide to fix each unprotected SQL server instance.
Next step
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ title: Verify SQL machine protection description: Verify SQL Server protection on Azure VMs, Azure Arc machines, and multicloud resources with Defender for SQL Servers on Machines. ms.topic: how-to-ms.date: 04/27/2025+ms.date: 07/03/2026+ms.custom: msecd-doc-authoring-1013 #customer intent: As a customer, I want to verify that my SQL VMs are protected with the Defender for SQL Servers on Machines plan as expected. ai-usage: ai-assisted ---@@ -12,11 +13,11 @@ ai-usage: ai-assisted > [!IMPORTANT] > This article applies to commercial clouds. If you're using Government clouds, see the [Verify SQL machine protection government](verify-machine-protection-gov.md) article. -After you enable Defender for SQL Servers on Machines, use this article to verify coverage for SQL Servers on Azure VMs, on-premises machines, and multicloud resources.+After you enable Defender for SQL Servers on Machines, use the following verification procedures to confirm coverage for SQL Servers on Azure VMs, on-premises machines, and multicloud resources. You can check the protection status across an entire Azure subscription or verify a single SQL server VM or Azure Arc SQL Server instance. ## Verify protection on an entire Azure subscription -Defender for Cloud presents [The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected](https://aka.ms/NewStatusRecommendation) recommendation. This recommendation allows you to review the protection status of Defender for SQL Servers on Machines. The recommendation identifies all SQL VMs and Azure Arc SQL Server instances within a specified Azure subscription, and presents the protection status of each SQL Server instance.+Defender for Cloud presents [The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected](https://aka.ms/NewStatusRecommendation) recommendation. The **The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected** recommendation allows you to review the protection status of Defender for SQL Servers on Machines. This recommendation identifies all SQL VMs and Azure Arc SQL Server instances within a specified Azure subscription, and presents the protection status of each SQL Server instance. 1. Sign in to the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com/). @@ -34,9 +35,9 @@ Defender for Cloud presents [The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines sho 1. Select the unhealthy resource. -1. Follow the troubleshooting guide steps starting at [Step 3: Identify and resolve protection misconfigurations at the SQL Server instance Level](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md#step-3-identify-and-resolve-protection-misconfigurations-at-the-sql-server-instance-level).+1. Follow the steps in the Troubleshoot SQL machines protection guide, starting at [Step 3: Identify and resolve protection misconfigurations at the SQL Server instance Level](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md#step-3-identify-and-resolve-protection-misconfigurations-at-the-sql-server-instance-level). -Defender for Cloud updates the status of the recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the [troubleshooting guide](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md) to fix each unprotected SQL server instance.+Defender for Cloud updates the **The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected** recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the [Troubleshoot SQL machines protection](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md) guide to fix each unprotected SQL server instance. ## Verify protection on a single SQL server VM @@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ You can also verify the protection status of a single SQL server VM or Azure Arc 1. (Optional) Resolve the unprotected server instance status with the [troubleshooting SQL Server on Machines guide](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md). -Defender for Cloud updates the status of the recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the [troubleshooting guide](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md) to fix each unprotected SQL server instance.+Defender for Cloud updates the **The status of Microsoft SQL Servers on Machines should be protected** recommendation every 12 hours. Follow the [Troubleshoot SQL machines protection](troubleshoot-sql-machines-guide.md) guide to fix each unprotected SQL server instance. ## Next step