In a new Adaptive Server 15.0.2 master database, or an upgraded master database after “allow password downgrade” is set to 0, the server maintains encrypted passwords in syslogins catalog using only the new algorithm in password column. Only the SHA-256 algorithm is used to authenticate the connection requests and for storing the password on disk.
The administrator can distinguish a server that has been upgraded and maintaining passwords with both old and new algorithms from a server with a new master database that only uses the new algoritm by executing:
sp_passwordpolicy "list", "allow password downgrade"
