SQL Server: Query to check if given column exists

 

select s.[name] 'Schema', t.[name] 'Table', c.[name] 'Column', d.[name] 'Data Type', d.[max_length] 'Max Length', d.[precision] 'Precision', c.[is_identity] 'Is Id', c.[is_nullable] 'Is Nullable', c.[is_computed] 'Is Computed', d.[is_user_defined] 'Is UserDefined', t.[modify_date] 'Date Modified', t.[create_date] 'Date created' from sys.schemas s inner join sys.tables t on s.schema_id = t.schema_id inner join sys.columns c on t.object_id = c.object_id inner join sys.types d on c.user_type_id = d.user_type_id where c.name like 'Person%'

The operation cannot be performed on a database with database snapshots or active DBCC replicas

 

When trying to restore the database with snapshots got the following error SQL message

SQL Server T-SQL Command

restore database PRD_Accounts from disk ='H:\PRD_Accounts_backup_daily.bak' with replace, stats

Error:

Msg 5094, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
The operation cannot be performed on a database with database snapshots or active DBCC replicas.
Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally.

Resolution

Since we cannot restore a database if we have any snapshots.
Please drop all snapshots and try database restore again.

1. To check the database snapshot and it’s source database

select database_id, name,source_database_id,Source_DBName=DB_NAME(source_database_id) from master.sys.databases where source_database_id IS NOT NULL

2. Drop the Snapshot database

DROP DATABASE Accounts_Rpt

3. Create script of snapshot database, before dropping it. If at all we need to re-establish the snapshot after restore we can use it

USE master GO /****** Object:  Database [Benefits_Rpt_sol48u]    Script Date: 12/03/2012 00:01:02 ******/ CREATE DATABASE [Accounts_Rpt] ON ( NAME = N'PRD_Accounts', FILENAME = N'E:\MSSQL\Data\Accounts_Rpt.ss1' ), ( NAME = N'indexdat1', FILENAME = N'E:\MSSQL\Data\Accounts_Rpt.ss2' ) AS SNAPSHOT OF [PRD_Accounts] GO

Error on executing sp_cycle_agent_errorlog Msg 22022, Level 16, State 1, Line 0

sp_cycle_agent_errorlog

Every time SQL Server Agent is started, the current SQL Server Agent error log is renamed to SQLAgent.1; SQLAgent.1 becomes SQLAgent.2, SQLAgent.2 becomes SQLAgent.3, and so on. sp_cycle_agent_errorlog enables you to cycle the error log files without stopping and starting the server.

This stored procedure must be run from the msdb database.

Error on executing of sp_cycle_agent_errorlog

 

USE msdb

go

EXEC sp_cycle_agent_errorlog

GO

Msg 22022, Level 16, State 1, Line 0

SQLServerAgent Error: Access is denied.

Each time the stored procedure was run it just overwritten the current agent log without renaming it and because of this only one SQLAGENTOUT file was left.

SQL Mail: The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure.

SQL Mail Sent fail with errors below;

Error from the SQL Mail log:

The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. (Sending Mail using Account 3 (2012-11-07T22:09:50). Exception Message: Could not connect to mail server. (No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it 205.191.22.44:25). )

The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. (Sending Mail using Account 3 (2012-01-17T11:13:58). Exception Message: Could not connect to mail server. (No such host is known). )

The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. (Sending Mail using Account 3 (2012-01-17T11:12:44). Exception Message: Cannot send mails to mail server. (Failure sending mail.). )

The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. (Sending Mail using Account 1 (2010-10-24T19:55:11). Exception Message: Could not connect to mail server. (A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 16.236.32.51:25). )

Resolution:

From the error message it is clear that it is a communication issue between SQL Server host and the Mail Exchange Server.

Problem was related to Exchange Server not allowing relaying from SQL Server.

Please engage Network Administrator to add SQL Server host IP Address to allow to send emails taking below steps, like

On Mail server > Exchange Server Manager > SMTP Connector Properties
> Access Properties > Access Tab > Relay button > Add  IP Address of SQL Server

Also cross check if the Anti Virus (AV) program running on the SQL Server host. AV blocks services from sending on TCP-25. Adjust the AV software accordingly. Add DATABASEMAIL90.EXE to the list of innocent programs in your AV.

Query to find the Linked Servers with given remote login

 

It would be useful to cross check, when the Linked Server remote login password has changed.
In this case, linked server will wail due to wrong password. To fix this we have reset the correct password.

SELECT s.server_id,S.name,S.product,S.provider,l.remote_name,'Remote_Login_Modified_Dt'=l.modify_date,s.modify_date FROM SYS.SERVERS S INNER JOIN SYS.LINKED_LOGINS L ON  s.server_id = L.server_id WHERE S.server_id > 0 AND S.product ='SQL Server' AND L.remote_name ='sa'

Returning the parameters for a specified stored procedure or function

 

Before you run the following query, replace <database_name> and <schema_name.object_name> with valid names.

USE <database_name>; GO SELECT SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id) AS schema_name     ,o.name AS object_name     ,o.type_desc     ,p.parameter_id     ,p.name AS parameter_name     ,TYPE_NAME(p.user_type_id) AS parameter_type     ,p.max_length     ,p.precision     ,p.scale     ,p.is_output FROM sys.objects AS o INNER JOIN sys.parameters AS p ON o.object_id = p.object_id WHERE o.object_id = OBJECT_ID('<schema_name.object_name>') ORDER BY schema_name, o.object_name, p.parameter_id; GO

 

Reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190324.aspx

List database objects modified in the last ‘N’ days

 

Before you run the following query, replace <database_name> and <n_days> with valid values.

 

USE <database_name>; GO SELECT name AS object_name   ,SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id) AS schema_name   ,type_desc   ,create_date   ,modify_date FROM sys.objects WHERE modify_date > GETDATE() - <n_days> ORDER BY modify_date; GO

 

Source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190324.aspx

Script to check SQL Server Linked Server Status

 

It leverages on the system stored procedure sys.sp_testlinkedserver

SET NOCOUNT ON; DECLARE @LinkName NVARCHAR (128), @retval INT, @msg varchar(300) IF (SELECT COUNT (srvname) FROM sys.sysservers WHERE srvname <> @@SERVERNAME) = 0 RETURN DECLARE srvname INSENSITIVE CURSOR FOR         (SELECT srvname FROM sys.sysservers WHERE srvname <> @@SERVERNAME) FOR READ ONLY OPEN srvname     FETCH NEXT FROM srvname INTO @LinkName WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0 BEGIN     BEGIN TRY         EXEC @retval = sys.sp_testlinkedserver @LinkName     END TRY         BEGIN CATCH         IF @LinkName IS NULL RETURN         SET @retval = SIGN(@@ERROR)         IF @retval <> 0         BEGIN           SET @msg = 'Unable to connect to the Linked server : ' + @LinkName           RAISERROR (@msg, 16, 2 )         END     END CATCH     FETCH NEXT FROM srvname INTO @LinkName     END        CLOSE srvname DEALLOCATE srvname

System database msdb size in huge! How to purge MSDB Backup and Restore History?

 

On one of my SQL Server 2008 Instance, the msdb database sizes around 4 GB.  I decided to find out the which table / index occupies major junk on this. I have used query below;

--- Query 1, if there is partition SELECT TOP 10 SERVERNAME=@@SERVERNAME,DB_NAME=DB_NAME(),TABLE_NAME=OBJECT_NAME(I.ID),INDEX_NAME=I.NAME,INDID,USED, ROWS, SIZE_N_MB = ROUND((USED*8.0/1024.0),2), ROWMODCTR,STATISTICDT=STATS_DATE(I.ID,INDID) FROM SYSINDEXES I, SYSOBJECTS O WHERE I.ID = O.ID AND INDID IN ( 0,1) AND XTYPE = 'U' ORDER BY USED DESC

--- Query 2 If there are partitions SELECT object_name(i.object_id) as objectName, i.[name] as indexName, sum(a.total_pages) as totalPages, sum(a.used_pages) as usedPages, sum(a.data_pages) as dataPages, (sum(a.total_pages) * 8) / 1024 as totalSpaceMB, (sum(a.used_pages) * 8) / 1024 as usedSpaceMB, (sum(a.data_pages) * 8) / 1024 as dataSpaceMB FROM sys.indexes i INNER JOIN sys.partitions p ON i.object_id = p.object_id AND i.index_id = p.index_id INNER JOIN sys.allocation_units a ON p.partition_id = a.container_id GROUP BY i.object_id, i.index_id, i.[name] ORDER BY sum(a.total_pages) DESC, object_name(i.object_id)

The output resulted;

The following 5 big tables takes up 88% of the total database size of 3.8 GB. These 5 tables occupy 3.3 GB on the msdb database.

Query 1: Output

TABLE_NAME	INDEX_NAME	INDID	USED	ROWS	SIZE_N_MB	ROWMODCTR	STATISTICDT
backupfile	PK__backupfi__57D1800A17C286CF	1	233057	4438738	1820.76	2646909	2/14/2011 15:57
backupset	PK__backupse__21F79AAB0E391C95	1	115791	1489763	904.62	228112	6/19/2011 6:00
backupmediafamily	PK__backupme__0C13C86F0880433F	1	50738	1489616	396.39	23386	7/26/2011 7:00
backupfilegroup	PK__backupfi__760CD67A12FDD1B2	1	43284	2967333	338.16	1775145	2/14/2011 15:57
backupmediaset	PK__backupme__DAC69E4D04AFB25B	1	29250	1489616	228.52	44462	7/22/2011 15:43
sysjobhistory	clust	1	3553	33177	27.76	2428	7/25/2011 8:14

Query 2: Output

objectName	indexName	totalPages	usedPages	dataPages	totalSpaceMB	usedSpaceMB	dataSpaceMB	Rows
backupfile	PK__backupfi__57D1800A17C286CF	233073	233043	231653	1820	1820	1809	4438738
backupset	PK__backupse__21F79AAB0E391C95	100217	100200	99826	782	782	779	1489763
backupfilegroup	PK__backupfi__760CD67A12FDD1B2	43289	43283	43077	338	338	336	1489616
backupmediafamily	PK__backupme__0C13C86F0880433F	39473	39459	39287	308	308	306	2967333
backupmediaset	PK__backupme__DAC69E4D04AFB25B	18737	18728	18654	146	146	145	1489616

Analyze and find out the minimum and maximum date range date available

SELECT COUNT(*) AS 'TotalRecords', MIN(backup_start_date) AS 'MinDate', MAX(backup_start_date) AS 'MaxDate' FROM dbo.backupset

Resolution:
The solution is we have to purge these MSDB Backup and Restore history tables

1. The sp_delete_backuphistory system stored procedure takes a single parameter - a cutoff date. Any data older than the supplied date is purged from the msdb tables.

2. The sp_delete_database_backuphistory  system stored procedure allows you to delete historical backup data for a specific database. Unfortunately, this procedure does not offer the finer option of choosing a cutoff date. It's all or nothing.

3. sp_purge_jobhistory Removes the history records for a job.

4. Try considering creating indexes on the above said 5 tables, if no of rows are huge.
Source: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/geoffh/archive/2008/01/21/MSDB-Performance-Tuning.aspx

use msdb go --backupset Create index IX_backupset_backup_set_id on backupset(backup_set_id) go Create index IX_backupset_backup_set_uuid on backupset(backup_set_uuid) go Create index IX_backupset_media_set_id on backupset(media_set_id) go Create index IX_backupset_backup_finish_date on backupset(backup_finish_date) go Create index IX_backupset_backup_start_date on backupset(backup_start_date) go --backupmediaset Create index IX_backupmediaset_media_set_id on backupmediaset(media_set_id) go --backupfile Create index IX_backupfile_backup_set_id on backupfile(backup_set_id) go --backupmediafamily Create index IX_backupmediafamily_media_set_id on backupmediafamily(media_set_id) go --restorehistory Create index IX_restorehistory_restore_history_id on restorehistory(restore_history_id) go Create index IX_restorehistory_backup_set_id on restorehistory(backup_set_id) go --restorefile Create index IX_restorefile_restore_history_id on restorefile(restore_history_id) go --restorefilegroup Create index IX_restorefilegroup_restore_history_id on restorefilegroup(restore_history_id) go

5. Alternatively, check when the statistics of these tables are last updated. Just run sp_updatestats.  Just try sp_delete_backuphistory  after the statistics are updated. The result is awesome! Very quick response.

Permanent Resolution

6. Further restrict the Job history growth by setting in SQL Agent –> History tab.

7. Also on the SQL Server Maintenance Plan “History Cleanup Task” can be of helpful

SQL Server Management Studio – SSMS is a 32 bit application

SQL Server Management Studio – SSMS is a 32 bit application. Even when we install 64 bit SQL Server Database Engine, we will get 32 bit SSMS installed on the server.

Default SSMS install location

32 Bit Server	C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE
64 Bit Server	C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE

Maintenance Plan Error: Alter failed for Server SQLServer_Instance

 

Error message: Alter failed for Server ‘SivaSQL2008’

 

When I ran SQL Profiler and checked why its failing, observed;
Errors when it was trying to execute

SP_CONFIGURE 'USER OPTION',0 ;
RECONFIGURE

Error: 5808, Severity: 16, State: 1
Ad hoc update to system catalogs is not supported.

The reason for why AD HOC UPDATE TO SYSTEM CATALOGS is not supported.
Why it is trying to change SYSTEM CATALOGS at first place?

In SQL Server 2000 and older, this option allowed users to make updates directly to the system tables.
In SQL Server 2005 and higher, the system tables are, replaced with the Resource Database and system views.
This option is no longer supported in SQL Server 2005 and higher version, and though we can set Allow Updates to 1 with no error. As soon as we run RECONFIGURE, we will receive the error that ad hoc updates are not supported.

Because Allow Updates had been set to 1 and my Maintenance Plan runs the RECONGIFURE statement, this error was thrown and the Maintenance Plan failed.

As per Books On Line:

Changing the allow updates option will cause the RECONFIGURE statement to fail. Changes to the allow updates option should be removed from all scripts.

Resolution:
So to resolve is configured ALLOW UPDATE back to 0 and again ran Maintenance Plan and it executes fine.

sp_configure 'allow update', 0 reconfigure

How to create scripts for an entire database or specific object in SQL Server 2008?

In this post I would like to address the requirement of;

• How to create scripts for an entire database ?
• How to create scripts limit it to specific objects?
• How to restore SQL Server 2005 database on SQL Server 2000?

SQL Server Database Publishing Wizard enables the deployment of SQL Server databases into a hosted environment on either a SQL Server 2000 or 2005 server.

It generates a single SQL script file which can be used to recreate a database (both schema and data) in a shared hosting environment where the only connectivity to a server is through a web-based control panel with a script execution window.

If supported by the hosting service provider, the Database Publishing Wizard can also directly upload databases to servers located at the shared hosting provider.

We can use the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard to create scripts for transferring a database from one instance of the Database Engine to another. You can generate scripts for a database on an instance of the Database Engine in your local network, or from SQL Azure.

The generated scripts can be run on another instance of the Database Engine or SQL Azure. 

We can also use the wizard to publish the contents of a database directly to a Web service created by using the Database Publishing Services.

We can create scripts for an entire database, or limit it to specific objects.

What version of SQL Servers are supported on this?

	Source Database	Target Database
SQL Server Instance Version Supported	SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2008 SQL Server 2008 R2 SQL Azure	SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2008 SQL Server 2008 R2 SQL Azure SQL Server 2000
Permission needed	db_ddladmin	db_ddladmin
Pre-existence		The target database must be created at the hosting provider before the source database is published. Publishing overwrites objects in that existing database

Supported Objects for Publishing

The following table lists the objects that can be published and the versions of SQL Server on which they are supported by the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard.

Database object	SQL Server 2008 R2	SQL Server 2008	SQL Server 2005	SQL Server 2000
Application role	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Assembly	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
CHECK constraint	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CLR (common language runtime) stored procedure1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
CLR user-defined function	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Database role	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
DEFAULT constraint	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Full-text catalog	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Index	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rule	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Schema	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Stored procedure1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Synonym	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Table	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
User2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
User-defined aggregate	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
User-defined data type	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
User-defined function	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
User-defined table	Yes	Yes	No	No
User-defined type	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
View1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
XML schema collection	Yes	Yes	Yes

1 Published without encryption.
2 Any non-system users that exist in the database are published as Roles.

How to generate SQL Scripts using Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard

We can create Transact-SQL scripts for multiple objects by using the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard.. You can also generate a script for individual objects or multiple objects by using the Script as menu in Object Explorer.

Use the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard to create a Transact-SQL script for many objects.
The wizard generates a script of all the objects in a database, or a subset of the objects that you select. The wizard has many options for your scripts, such as whether to include permissions, collation, constraints, and so on.

Step 1:

In Object Explorer, expand Databases, right-click a database, point to Tasks, and then click Generate Scripts. Follow the steps in the wizard to script the database objects.



 

Step 2: On the Choose Objects page, select the objects to be included in the script

Script entire database and all database objects
Click to generate scripts for all objects in the database and to include a script for the database itself.

Step 1.3: On the Set Scripting Options page, select Save scripts to a specific location.

Select Save scripts to a specific location


Summary:



Click Finish.

To generate the Script for the Data on the table:

Set “Script Data: True “

 

Select specific database objects
Click to limit the wizard to generate scripts for only the specific objects in the database that you choose.

For example I have selected Tables Object

 

Within Tables Object, I have chosen HumanResources.Employee Table

 

Select Save scripts to a specific location



Script Wizard Summary
 

View of the Output file generated:

 

References:

Using the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard

How to: Generate a Script (SQL Server Management Studio)

The server principal is set as the execution context of a trigger or event notification and cannot be dropped.

 

I got error message below when i try to drop a login named ‘test_login’

Error Message:
Msg 15186, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
The server principal is set as the execution context of a trigger or event notification and cannot be dropped.

It means that there are  execute as username in a stored procedure or function or triggers, and that is why it will not allow me to drop the user.

EXECUTE permission - a check is made to see if this permission is granted. If yes the user is allowed to run the stored procedure

EXECUTE AS - when the stored procedure is run, it will run under the context of the user specified in the clause rather than the context of the user who has run it.

Use the query below find the execute as object

select object_name(object_id) from sys.sql_modules where execute_as_principal_id = user_id('test_login')

How to find the Dynamic Management Views on SQL Server Management Studio?

 

Expand the Views –> System Views on each database nodes.

Download Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 RTM

 

Service Pack 4 (SP4) for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 is now available for download.

SQL Server 2005 SP4 includes SQL Server 2005 SP3 cumulative update 1 to 11, customer requested fixes, along with instances of the SQL Server 2005 SP4 database Engine support for DAC operations.

It can be downloaded from

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 RTM

SQL Server has encountered 2 occurrence(s) of cachestore flush for the 'Bound Trees' cachestore (part of plan cache) due to some database maintenance or reconfigure operations.

 

Error:
SQL Server has encountered 2 occurrence(s) of cachestore flush for the 'Bound Trees' cachestore (part of plan cache) due to some database maintenance or reconfigure operations.

Cause:
When we take the database OFFLINE this error raised.

Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917828

The server principal is not able to access the database under the current security context.

 

I reproduced the error below;

Issue 1:

Msg 916, Level 14, State 1, Line 1 The server principal "Test_Login" is not able to access the database "testdb" under the current security context.

1. Created database ‘testdb’

2. Created the login ‘Test_Login’. The login not granted access on the database ‘testdb’

3. On logging on ‘Test_Login’, tried accesing the database ‘testdb’ and got the error.

From the error message, when the server principal ( login) does not have access on the database the error occurs.

Resolution 1:
Grant the database access for the login. For example;

Use testdb go Create User Test_Login for Login Test_Login go

Issue 2:

The database is in “Restricted Mode”

Try the query below, to access the database in different user context

Use testdb go execute as user='test_login' go

Msg 916, Level 14, State 1, Line 1
The server principal "Test_Login" is not able to access the database "testdb" under the current security context.

Reference : 
"The server principal LoginName is not able to access the database DatabaseName under the current security context"

TSQL Query to find the DB Maintenance status

 

Are you curious to find the Database Backup / Restore status?
Do you have to find out the status the DBCC CHECKDB ?
Do you have to report when the ROLLBACK would finish ?
Do you want judge how long the Database Shrink will take?

Here is the answer!

The query listed below can be used to find the Percentage of work completed for the following commands:

1. ALTER INDEX REORGANIZE
2. AUTO_SHRINK option with ALTER DATABASE
3. BACKUP DATABASE
4. DBCC CHECKDB
5. DBCC CHECKFILEGROUP
6. DBCC CHECKTABLE
7. DBCC INDEXDEFRAG
8. DBCC SHRINKDATABASE
9. DBCC SHRINKFILE
10. RECOVERY
11. RESTORE DATABASE,
12. ROLLBACK
13. TDE ENCRYPTION

We have to replace the where condition filter based on the requirement.

SELECT command,             sqltext.text,             start_time,             percent_complete,             CAST(((DATEDIFF(s,start_time,GetDate()))/3600) as varchar) + ' hour(s), '                   + CAST((DATEDIFF(s,start_time,GetDate())%3600)/60 as varchar) + 'min, '                   + CAST((DATEDIFF(s,start_time,GetDate())%60) as varchar) + ' sec' as running_time,             CAST((estimated_completion_time/3600000) as varchar) + ' hour(s), '                   + CAST((estimated_completion_time %3600000)/60000 as varchar) + 'min, '                   + CAST((estimated_completion_time %60000)/1000 as varchar) + ' sec' as est_time_to_go,             dateadd(second,estimated_completion_time/1000, getdate()) as est_completion_time FROM sys.dm_exec_requests Req CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_sql_text(Req.sql_handle) sqltext WHERE req.command in ('DBCC CHECKDB')

On SQL Server Management Studio, How to list only the database, which user has access ?

 

The default behavior of SSMS when we login, it will show all the databases available on the SQL Server Instance. Irrespective of access on the databases user has.

The reason behind is, to load the SSMS faster. Otherwise, while loading the SSMS SQL Server has to verify for each databases if the user has access or not. Also if any of the databases or offline or closed, it has to figure out if that database has to be listed or not. All this takes time.
Hence by default the SSMS will show all the databases on SSMS.

If we really required to show only the database user has access, please use the command below to restrict the show all databases on SSMS,

DENY VIEW ANY DATABASE TO login_name

When VIEW ANY DATABASE is revoked, a user can only see master, tempdb, any database he owns, and the user’s current database context.

MOSS – Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007 SQL Server 2005 / 2008 Database Maintenance

 

There is a whitepaper in detail SQL Server 2005 /2008 Maintenance for MOSS ( Sharepoint ).

Database Maintenance for SharePoint