SQL Server 2008 Policy-Based Management

This paper explores Policy-Based Management, a new management feature introduced in SQL Server 2008. Policy-Based Management allows DBAs to define a set of policies that can control many different aspects of SQL Server. Policies can be applied to a single server or to groups of servers. For example, a DBA could define a policy that specifies how a particular configuration option should be set on all the servers in the enterprise. What used to be time-consuming tasks and referencing paper manuals can now be virtually automated.

Read the white paper: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd938891.aspx