Learn how to write a script for regular database backups using Powershell and SMO.  Read more...

This tip will demonstrate how to monitor SQL Failover Cluster Instances if they become unbalanced using Windows PowerShell.  Read more...

You should be on your way with PowerShell with the previous levels and now the topic shifts to using Functions and Assemblies built in to .NET for use with automation. This topic will be used in your PowerShell adventures throughout your career and this Stairway.  Read more...

Powershell. I have seen the word but what is it? This article gives you a basic introduction to what PowerShell is and how you might use it.  Read more...

Marcin Policht presents the fundamental principles of PowerShell in the context of SQL Server 2012. Join him as he steps through its initial setup and configuration, and reviews specific management areas where its advantages can be realized.  Read more...

PowerShell is worth using when it is the quickest way to providing a solution. For the DBA, it is much more than getting information from SQL Server instances via PowerShell; it can also be run from SQL Server as part of a system that helps with administrative and monitoring tasks.  Read more...

This far, we have learned about installation and setup of the PowerShell environment. You should now have a foundation of SQL Server PowerShell. We now are ready to learn about Objects in SQL PowerShell.  Read more...

There always seem to be more and more instances to manage, but not more and more staff. Steve Jones talks about the key to good management being delegation of the work.  Read more...

In a previous tip on Monitor Your SQL Server Virtual Log Files with Policy Based Management, we have seen how we can use Policy Based Management to monitor the number of virtual log files (VLFs) in our SQL Server databases. However, even with that most of the solutions I see online involve the creation of temporary tables and/or a combination of using cursors to get the total number of VLFs in a transaction log file. Is there a much easier solution?   Read more...

As you know, SQL Server databases and backup files can take up a lot of disk space. When disk is running low and you need to troubleshoot disk space issues, the first thing to do is to find large files that are consuming disk space. In this article I will show you a PowerShell script that you can use to find large files on your disks.   Read more...

Having shown just how useful PowerShell can be for DBAs in executing queries, Michael Sorens now takes us through navigating SQL Server space and finding meta-information - valuable information for anyone looking to be more productive in SQL Server.  Read more...

This level will cover some of the Input/Output operations you can use with PowerShell.   Read more...

There is a lot of confusion amongst DBAs about using PowerShell due to existence the deprecated SQLPS mini-shell of SSMS and the newer SQLPS module. In a two-part article and wallchart, Michael Sorens explains how to install it, what it is, and some of the excellent things it has to offer.  Read more...

SQL Agent stores duration in HHMMSS format - not always useful. Discover how to use Powershell, some basic math, and T-SQL to tame these unruly values.  Read more...

Now that you know how to get started with PowerShell, it is time to configure PowerShell for SQL Server use. This level covers the components you'll need and how to configure them.  Read more...

Sometimes we need to create backups using code. Sometimes we need to do it manually or automatically, programmatically using C#, VB, Powershell.   Read more...

What are PowerShell and SQL PowerShell and how do you use them? Level 1 of this Stairway will help you answer these questions, and start to show you why you might want to use this great tool.  Read more...

Managing log files in a large enterprise environment can be an overwhelming task. In this article I will show you how to automate some of the work using SQL Alerts and Powershell 2.0  Read more...

Sometimes, you can tire of writing the same PowerShell code once again. After this happened to Phil whilst keying in an SMO pipeline to access databases, it occurred to him that he should have only one pipeline to access databases in PowerShell, one reusable pipeline  Read more...

How can you quickly and easily compare recordsets from different instances? This article will show you a quick way to do this with PowerShell.  Read more...