Query local SSMS server group with Powershell?

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Query local SSMS server group with Powershell?

dtibz01

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December 6, 2012 at 10:53 am

#271575

This may be a totally off the wall question, but it seems like it should be possible to do. Just can't find any specifics as to how I might accomplish it.
I have a situation in that I have the same database (structurally) across multiple SQL Server instances, with different database names. Through SSMS I have a local server group defined that references each unique instance and individual database. This allows me query each database at once with a single SQL statement, regardless of database name.
When queries are run through my SSMS environment, I have the option enabled to return the SQL Server instance in the grid output so the instance name is returned with each row. I would like to automate running my query and outputting the results to Excel via Powershell script.
What I'm hung up on is that I need to be able (with Powershell) to reference my SSMS local server group as the the data source that the query runs against, and run the query. Has anyone done this?
I appreciate any feedback..

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Gazareth One Orange Chip Points: 27737 More actions · Answer 1

Well, if you can get the information out of the file, registered servers are stored in

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Shell\RegSrvr.xml

But I'd be much more tempted to set up my own text file or db table to store the server/database information.

Easy enough once you've got the list to run your query in a foreach loop.

Orlando Colamatteo SSC Guru Points: 182279 More actions · Answer 2

Have you heard of Central Management Server (CMS)? It supports the "interact with each server in a server group from PowerShell" functionality that I think you are after.

If setting up a CMS is not something you want to begin doing then I would also look into storing the list of servers in a text file and using something like

foreach ($server in (Get-Content C:\myservers.txt)){Write-Host $server;}

or something similar with the servers stored in a utility database somewhere instead of a text file.

There are no special teachers of virtue, because virtue is taught by the whole community.
--Plato

dtibz01 Say Hey Kid Points: 696 More actions · Answer 3

Thank you both (Gazareth & opc.three) for taking the time to reply. I will likely end up going the route of a servers.txt file, I was just trying to find a way around it and in typical fashion was probably over thinking it a bit I guess. In any case, I do appreciate the feedback.

DT

MG-148046 SSCrazy Eights Points: 9946 More actions · Answer 4

You could use the stucture available in SQLPS. Set your location to SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Database Engine Server Group\<your group name> then set a variable equal to get-childitem and do a foreach loop over each server in the group.

A simple example:

Set-Location SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Database Engine Server Group\<your group name>

$servers = get-childitem

foreach ($server in $server) {<do something herer>}

MG

"There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies."
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Orlando Colamatteo SSC Guru Points: 182279 More actions · Answer 5

MG-148046 (12/27/2012)
You could use the stucture available in SQLPS. Set your location to SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Database Engine Server Group\<your group name> then set a variable equal to get-childitem and do a foreach loop over each server in the group.
A simple example:
Set-Location SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Database Engine Server Group\<your group name>
$servers = get-childitem
foreach ($server in $server) {<do something herer>}

I like the text file or database table only because it's portable. Here is more info on it. It requires the installation of some add-ons to make sqlps importable into your PoSh sessions.

Programming SQLRegistration in the SQL Server PowerShell Provider

There are no special teachers of virtue, because virtue is taught by the whole community.
--Plato

Gazareth One Orange Chip Points: 27737 More actions · Answer 6

MG-148046 (12/27/2012)
You could use the stucture available in SQLPS. Set your location to SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Database Engine Server Group\<your group name>

Nice, didn't know about that location! Certainly easier than parsing the XML file!

Ness SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4282 More actions · Answer 7

This also works

get-childitem 'SQLSERVER:\SQLRegistration\Central Management Server Group\

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