Choose parallel or fallback destinations for NPS accounting

Source facts

NPS can record accounting for authentication requests, acceptance and rejection messages, accounting exchanges, and periodic status updates. Microsoft offers text-only and SQL-only destinations, as well as two combined modes. Parallel logging writes to both destinations simultaneously. SQL logging with backup uses the text destination if SQL logging fails. NPS event logging is a separate facility used principally to audit and troubleshoot connection attempts. Microsoft documentation.

Applicability

Identify the accounting consumers, selected destination, database owner, retention requirements, and handling rules. Distinguish a requirement for simultaneous copies from a requirement for a fallback during a database outage.

DSE recommendation

Have the authentication and database teams agree on the selected mode and ownership of failure alerts. Document where operators should look for records during normal operation and during a logging failure. Review destination access and capacity before enabling the chosen accounting path.

Verification

Generate controlled accepted and rejected connection attempts and reconcile their timestamps with the expected records. In an approved test, make the SQL destination unavailable and inspect the documented fallback behavior. Record missing events or ambiguous destination ownership before relying on the accounting collection for investigations.

Official references

Microsoft Learn: Configure Network Policy Server Accounting. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.