User Account Requirements for Microsoft SQL Server Agent

Windows Configuration

Users who perform backup operations must be local administrators so that they have full control over the registry folder and the installation folder.

User credentials are not set during the agent installation. By default, the local system account is used. To access the SQL Server databases to perform backup and restore operations, SQL sysadmin rights are required.

SQL Server Is	User Account	Privileges
Member of a WorkGroup	Local administrator of the computer where the SQL Server resides, like computer_name\user1. Member of the SQL sysadmin fixed server role.	Able to back up any file and folder on the local computer to which the local group applies.
Member of a Domain	Member of the Local administrator group of the computer where the SQL Server resides, like domain\user1. Member of the SQL sysadmin fixed server role. The account must have interactive log on rights to the computer where the SQL Server resides or have Log on as Batch job rights in the Local security policy.	Able to back up any file and folder on the following entities: a computer in the domain a computer in a domain where a two-way trust relationship exist

SQL Server Is

User Account

Privileges

Member of a WorkGroup

Local administrator of the computer where the SQL Server resides, like computer_name\user1.
Member of the SQL sysadmin fixed server role.

Able to back up any file and folder on the local computer to which the local group applies.

Member of a Domain

Member of the Local administrator group of the computer where the SQL Server resides, like domain\user1.
Member of the SQL sysadmin fixed server role.
The account must have interactive log on rights to the computer where the SQL Server resides or have Log on as Batch job rights in the Local security policy.

Able to back up any file and folder on the following entities:

a computer in the domain
a computer in a domain where a two-way trust relationship exist

For more information about the SQL sysadmin privileges, go to the Microsoft Support website and search for Microsoft KB article 2926557, SQL Server VDI backup and restore operations require Sysadmin privileges.

Linux Configuration

User credentials are not set during the installation process. You must select the Impersonate User option at the agent or instance level and assign a SQL Server authenticated user that has sysadmin credentials.

Note

Do not use a domain authenticated user.