If Anti-Virus software is running on the SQL host machine there should be exclusions for the following types of files:
- MDF – these file extensions are associated with SQL Server database files
- LDF – these file extensions are associated with SQL Server transaction log files
- BAK – these file extensions are associated with SQL Server backup files
- TRN – these file extensions are associated with SQL Server trace files
All database related files should be white-listed by your anti-virus product!
If your company has some draconian policy that states every machines must have AV running on it then whitelist the database files. Most SQL machines are not outward facing and have no internet access. They cannot be reached directly from outside the network and there is little need to run scans on it.
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