Thursday, September 3, 2009

Powershell for SQL Database Administrators

Here is list of links that can get you started with Power Shell for SQL Database Administrators (DBA)


http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3681061/Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell-and-SQL-Server-2005-SMO--Part-I.htm
This is a 3 part article that start from installation and how to interact with Power Shell (PS)

http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1680 - again this one introduces how to use PS and makes you comfortable with couple of commands

http://www.simple-talk.com/sql/database-administration/why-this-sql-server-dba-is-learning-powershell/
This one directly delves into how to us PS to automate some of the SQL Server admin task, includes good practical samples.

http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/dba/powershell-sql-server-health-check-script/ - Here is the really working sample that dumps the database information into an excel sheet.

Using the above links you should be able to build a script which can scan all your SQL Servers (listed in a given txt file) and dump the required information into a nicely formatted excel sheet.

But in my case most of the automation that I built around SQL Server was using VB Script, HTML templates and DOS!

I think Power Shell is for new age Database Administrators.

About Me

By profession I am a Database Administrator (DBA) with total 13 yrs. of experience in the field of Information Technology, out of that 9 yrs as SQL DBA and last 3 years in IBM System i/iSeries and DB2 LUW 9. I have handled Developer, plus production support roles, and I like both the roles. I love and live information technology hence the name "Techonologyyogi" Apart from that I am a small, retail investor, with small investments in India and United States in the form of Equity holdings via common stocks. Don't ask me if I have made money, I have been loosing money in stocks.