I currently use xp_cmdshell to help with dynamic restores, where a common backup directory (on a file server on the network) is passed to a restore stored procedure and the procedure issues a "DIR \\server\share\dbname\*.BAK" to retrieve all available backup files in order to find the latest one (assuming a live to dev restore that wouldn't access msdb backup history).

Actually, replacing xp_cmdshell is not only a security gain, in fact it would give me much finer control. In order to find the latest backup file i just run a max on the filename, in the assumption that the backup file was created by a process that includes the date and time in the backup file name, e.g. maintenance plans. Using a .net CLR i could presumably retrieve the backup file's date by accessing the file attributes.

It would also help my restore/backup verification processes if i could verify that the files have been archived, which again a CLR proc could do by looking at the file's Archived flag in its attributes.

I have had a try at this in the past but gave up when i hit .net security issues accessing the file on the file server! (The backups are not written locally). If you want to have a stab at this one i would be very interested to see your results. Almost all of my xp_cmdshell usage is for finding out about backup files on a remote file server where the backups are written.

(Admittedly .Net CLRs would allow me to interrogate full msdb backup history across the estate without the need for linked servers, and without passing hard-coded backup directories, but there would be times when i would want to specify the backup location as opposed to get it from msdb, and as i say it is really helpful to get other file attributes).

Very useful examples so far.

Thanks.

James