Model, Component, and Package Management > Model management > Model Explorer > Working with databases > Synchronizing a database with Active Directory changes (Model Explorer)
  
Synchronizing a database with Active Directory changes (Model Explorer)
You should synchronize SQL Server with Active Directory following any changes to users or groups. In SQL Server, group memberships are cached on the database. You should update the database with the latest changes to users and groups in Active Directory. For example: a user under an AD group with principal login can still have access to a database after the user is removed from the group in Active Directory. In order to update the database with the latest permissions, use the following commands.
1. Start Model Explorer.
For more information, see Starting Model Explorer.
2. Locate the Database that you want to synchronize:
a. Expand the SQL icon.
b. Expand the Server that owns the database you want to synchronize .
If the Server that owns the Database is not shown, add the Server to Model Explorer.
For more information, refer to Adding a server to Model Explorer.
c. If the Database you want to synchronize is not shown, show the server's databases, and optionally bookmark the database.
For more information, see Showing a server's databases.
3. Right-click the database you want to synchronize, point to Update Group Memberships, the select one of the following options:
◦ Sync Self— to synchronize group memberships for the current user.
◦ Sync User...— to synchronize memberships for a specific user.
Enter the user name in the following format: <domain>\<user>
◦ Sync Group...— to synchronize memberships for a specific group.
Enter the group name in the following format: <domain>\<group>
◦ Sync All Principals— to synchronize memberships for all users and groups in the database.
* 
The Sync User..., Sync Group..., and Sync All Principals options are only available to server and database administrators.
4. Confirm that the Refreshed group memberships successfully message appears.