What configuration is necessary for compliance database activity monitoring without agents on a hosted database server?

For compliance database activity monitoring without agents on a hosted database server, configuring sniffing mode on database traffic is the correct choice. This method involves capturing and analyzing database traffic as it flows over the network. By operating in sniffing mode, monitoring tools can observe transactions and queries to ensure that all actions performed on the database are compliant with regulatory requirements. This approach allows organizations to monitor database activity without needing to install agents directly on the database server, which is particularly useful in hosted or cloud environments where agent installation may not be feasible or allowed.

In contrast, the other options do not effectively address the requirement for agentless monitoring of database activity. Logging to a syslog server primarily pertains to collecting and centralizing logs from various sources but does not provide a direct means of monitoring database activity itself. Built-in database tracking functionality may depend on native features of the database, which often still require some form of agent or integration, especially if used to monitor activities across multiple servers or instances. Implementing database encryption and secure copy to NAS focuses on data security and integrity rather than specifically monitoring database activity, thus not serving the purpose of compliance monitoring directly.