Maintenance plans vs. SQL Jobs

  • This is a basic question, and although I've used SQL Server since SQL 6.5, I still don't know the answer to this question.

    What I would like to know is, what is the difference between maintenance plans and SQL Jobs, in SQL Server? We've got a maintenance plan set up in our Management | Maintenance Plans area, and it has corresponding SQL jobs under SQL Server Agent | Jobs. And then we've got other SQL jobs that are not under the Management | Maintenance Plans. What is the difference between the two? When do I use one over the other?

    Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.

  • SQL Jobs are for scheduling any task or process to reoccur at regular intervals (Daily, weekly etc).

    Tasks or Steps in SQL Jobs can be anything from Activex Scripts, OS (Dos) based commands,SQL Scripts, Stored Procedures, SSIS packages and others.

    SQL Jobs help you to carry out those tasks that may be needed to run when you need to do them repeatedly.

    Maintenance JObs are DTS / SSIS Packages that help maintaining the Databases, perform Admin tasks such as Database and Transaction Log Backup s, Perform Index maintenance etc. SInce they will be recurring every day / week depending on the schedule chosen, it runs at that time and are displayed available in SQL Agent Jobs.


    Bru Medishetty

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  • I think Bru is on the right track.

    Simple answer

    Maintenance plans do maintenance on databases, ie: backups, re-indexes, etc.

    SQL Jobs are scheduled actions.

    Therefore, they are are used together. The SQL Job schedules the maintenance plan to do something. They each have their place.

    CEWII

  • Thank you, Bru and Elliot.

    Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.

  • CEWII

    I am curious, what does it stand for.


    Bru Medishetty

    Blog -- LearnSQLWithBru

    Join on Facebook Page Facebook.comLearnSQLWithBru

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  • They are my initials, CEW and since I am then second it is CEWII..

    CEWII

  • If i want to configure the backup job. Maintenance plan is recommended or SQL Agent job?

    Which is better and reasons from choosing one of these 2?

    Thanks,
    I’m nobody but still I’m somebody to someone………….

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