DROP ASYMMETRIC KEY (Transact-SQL)

Removes an asymmetric key from the database.

Topic link iconTransact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

DROP ASYMMETRIC KEY key_name

Arguments

  • key_name
    Is the name of the asymmetric key to be dropped from the database.

Remarks

An asymmetric key with which a symmetric key in the database has been encrypted, or to which a user or login is mapped, cannot be dropped. Before you drop such a key, you must drop any user or login that is mapped to the key. You must also drop or change any symmetric key encrypted with the asymmetric key. You can use the DROP ENCRYPTION option of ALTER SYMMETRIC KEY to remove encryption by an asymmetric key.

Metadata of asymmetric keys can be accessed by using the sys.asymmetric_keys catalog view. The keys themselves cannot be directly viewed from inside the database.

Permissions

Requires CONTROL permission on the asymmetric key.

Examples

The following example removes the asymmetric key MirandaXAsymKey6 from the AdventureWorks database.

USE AdventureWorks;
DROP ASYMMETRIC KEY MirandaXAsymKey6;

See Also

Reference

CREATE ASYMMETRIC KEY (Transact-SQL)
ALTER ASYMMETRIC KEY (Transact-SQL)
ALTER SYMMETRIC KEY (Transact-SQL)

Other Resources

Encryption Hierarchy

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance