sql 2005 service master key question

[kodaksmile]

Quick question regarding service master keys. We are not using any data encryption within our database. We have turned on Force Encryption (in configuration manager on the protocols for mssqlserer)

Do service master keys come into play at all here? I read something that said they were created at the time of install and something else that said they were created when you first began using encryption in the database. I guess what I am getting at is do I actually need to create a backup of these on all my new servers based on my configuration?

Thanks in advance

 

[Jamfool]

Dont want to detract to much from the question. So no you dont need to back these up.

Encryption and the master keys:

There is the service master key (smk if u will) which is specific to the installation.

BACKUP SERVICE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190337.aspx

and

BACKUP MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms174387.aspx

which relates to a key within a database
(dmk)