SQL Server Reference Guide

Mar 28, 2003

␡

⎙ Print

< Back Page 40 of 365 Next >

Computers excel at doing things over and over the same way, every time. So it stands to reason that you should use the computer to automate the things that you need to do in SQL Server repeatedly. Of course it's easier for the computer to do the work, but more than that if you take your time automating a process properly, you guarantee that it will be done properly (or at least consistently) every time.

Like Microsoft Windows, SQL Server includes a facility to automate tasks. You can also use it for more than just SQL Server activities as I'll explain shortly. This facility involves three main parts: The SQL Server Agent Service, SQL Server Agent Jobs, and the msdb database. These are all often referred to as “The Agent” or “SQL Agent”, because they work in concert to perform tasks that you specify, either on-demand or on a schedule.

SQL Server Agent Service

The first part of SQL Server automation is the SQL Server Agent Service. The SQL Server Agent is a set of software components on the server and a service for each instance of SQL Server installed. On SQL Server 2000, if the only instance is installed the service is called SQLAgent. For every instance after that, it's called SQLAgent$InstanceName. For SQL Server 2005 and higher, the default instance is called SQL Server Agent, and for each named instance installed after that it is called SQL Server Agent (InstanceName).

There are two important considerations for this service account. The first is that it needs to be started. Unless the service is started, no automation occurs. You can check to see if the service is started at the command line in the operating system with this command:

NET START

Once you run that command, look for the service names I just described. You can also use the Windows Services Control Panel applet to check the state of the service. In SQL Server 2005 and higher however, you should use the SQL Configuration Manager tool, because it performs other tasks for you. In most cases, you'll want the Agent service set to Automatic so that it starts up when the server does.

Figure 1

The second important consideration with this service is the account you use to start it. The service should be started with an account that has sufficient privileges to access any drives, systems or network shares you might to use in an automation task. But it's important that the account has only the rights and privileges it absolutely needs – in the previous graphic this system is using the local administrator's account, which is far too powerful. Again, you should set this system using the Configuration Manager in SQL Server 2005 and higher, since that tool will handle things like granting the account the “logon as a service” right in Windows, and access to the msdb database and so on.

Another important consideration for setting each instance’s Agent account to a different Windows account is that when activities and errors are logged, they are tagged with this name. If they are all the same, it’s more complicated to do troubleshooting and performance tuning.

I recommend that you create a service for the SQL Server Agent and give it very limited permissions on the server. You can read more about what the account needs to be able to do in Books Online.

If you set up a regular user account to start the Agent, you need to make sure that you consider the password policies that account has. If its password will expire, make sure you send yourself a reminder to change it in the services control panel, or the Agent will fail to log on and run. If you decide to override that policy for this account, make sure the password is very complex so that it can't be compromised easily. And keep that password safe! Allowing others to know the password in effect gives them the keys they need to compromise your systems.

SQL Agent Jobs

Within SQL Server, the Agent interacts through Jobs. Jobs are a combination of steps, notifications and schedules.

The Jobs object can be graphically controlled in Enterprise Manager (SQL Server 2000) under the SQL Server Group | ServerName | Management area.

Figure 2

In SQL Server 2005 and higher, you can use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and open the SQL Server Agent object directly under the instance name.

Figure 3

In both versions, Jobs contain steps. A step is a unit of work, which can be as varied as a Transact-SQL script all the way to an operating system command or ActiveX code, and in SQL Server 2008 and higher even PowerShell scripts. This is why you'll want to restrict the users that have access to this facility.

You can also link steps in the Job based on success or failure, forming rudimentary branching logic. For instance, you could make a Transact-SQL step that checks a table, and another that runs if that fails to log the information.

You don't have to create your own logging process, however, since both Jobs and steps are logged for you. There are also notifications that the Job can send, if you have an operator set up. I'll show you that in another tutorial. The Job has a history associated with it, that you can find by right-clicking the Job and selecting “View History” from the menu that appears. This information is kept in tables in msdb.

SQL Server Agent also has its own set of Error Logs in SQL Server Management Studio. Open the Error Logs area and select the SQL Server Agent.

Figure 4

The last part of the Job is the schedule. You can create a schedule at the Job level that runs once, repeatedly, on a certain day or a certain date. Clicking the Schedule tab when you create the Job allows you to pick an existing schedule you’ve created earlier or create a new one.

Figure 5

With the Job created you can enable it to run. Disabling the Job allows you to keep it around but not run it.

The msdb Database

SQL Server Agent and its Jobs with steps and schedules are all controlled by tables in the msdb database. The SQL Server Agent uses the tables that start with dbo.sysJobs* in the msdb database, and in the latest versions it uses other tables there as well. Books Online for each release has the affected tables for the SQL Server Agent.

There are also several stored procedures that you can use to create, control and monitor SQL Server Agent Jobs. Here are a few, starting with the ones that show you information about various Jobs:

I'll cover and use these in greater detail in future tutorials. I’ve linked them here for you to reference easily.

You can also use the SQL Server Agent to automate tasks involving more than just one server. I'll cover that more later, and in the next tutorial I'll show you how to put this information to use and monitor your backups on a server. You can easily extrapolate the example to multiple servers.

InformIT Articles and Sample Chapters

In a chapter from the book SQL Server 2005 Management and Administration called "Administering the SQL Server 2005 Database Engine," there’s a section on the SQL Server Agent called Administering the SQL Server Agent.

Books and eBooks

And there are newer references as well — Ross Mistry covers SQL Server 2008 administration in his book called Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management and Administration.

Online Resources

The main site to start with is Books Online, Online. Microsoft has a series of articles starting here on the SQL Server Agent.

< Back Page 40 of 365 Next >

🔖 Save To Your Account

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Notice

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

As required by law.
With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020

Email Address