Stop users from saving files with specific extension in specific directories

Solution 1:

You can use the 'File Resource Server Manager' role.

Installation of this role is done from the "Server Manager".

After the installation, enter the 'File Resource Server Manager' mmc console, and follow these steps:

1. Create a new file screen rule.

2. Choose the second option, and click on "Custom Options".

3. Choose the path you want this rule to apply to, and add the file extension.

Alternatively, you can use quotas (included in the same role) to limit the space each user can use.

Solution 2:

This is where I would build a custom DB Backup/Restore tool that uses paths from a configuration file so the right paths are selected by default. You can only screw that up intentionally.

Solution 3:

In this specific situation I would change the default backup location using SQL management studio to put the backup files in the correct place.

It should be in the context menu for the sql instance: Properties > Database Settings

I don't think the dev admin users are deliberately filling the C drive right?

Also another common mistake when creating a SQL backup is to forget to add the ".bak" extension as it is not added automatically.

Last it can sometimes be the SQL service that creates the backups and that would be difficult to limit without breaking the service

Solution 4:

Since these users are members of Administrators, this means (wait for it) that they are administrators and can fill the disk if they want to. It sounds to me like the real problem is that you have people that are members of Administrators that shouldn't be. You say they are administrators for "a variety of reasons". If these reasons are political rather than technical, then there's not going to be a viable technical solution, because you are asking, "How do I restrict administrators?" (The answer is that administrators can bypass all restrictions.)