May 23, 2011 at 9:09 am
Hello all,
I am starting a new job as a DBA Admin...My first task is document/inventory all the servers and databases here at the company...I know there are tools for this but I would like to do this manually just so I can familarize myself with their servers and databases...As a best practice, what would some suggestions be on how to go about this...What all would I need to document and write down besides the usual server/database names, objects such as tables, views, and stored procedures?
Any info would much be appreciated!
May 23, 2011 at 1:26 pm
I'd get the maintenance jobs documented as much as possible. This way you'll know what's not getting done. Other than that, I find that the business documention is more important than getting settings or proc names or any of that stuff. By business documentation, which apps point to which databases and which servers. Which apps are vital to the company which ones can be down for an hour, etc. The rest will come with time.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 23, 2011 at 3:54 pm
isn't a bit scary when a DBA asks this question?
[font="Comic Sans MS"]The GrumpyOldDBA[/font]
www.grumpyolddba.co.uk
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/grumpyolddba/
May 23, 2011 at 4:15 pm
colin.Leversuch-Roberts (5/23/2011)
isn't a bit scary when a DBA asks this question?
You mean it's scary when a DBA asks what he ought to document? I'd like to see what people think about this one too. I know what I do, but I'm always on the lookout for better ways of doing things.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 23, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Grant Fritchey (5/23/2011)
colin.Leversuch-Roberts (5/23/2011)
isn't a bit scary when a DBA asks this question?You mean it's scary when a DBA asks what he ought to document? I'd like to see what people think about this one too. I know what I do, but I'm always on the lookout for better ways of doing things.
I approach things in a similar way. As for maintenance, the FIRST thing I look for are full backups, followed by TLog backups. Man, I can't say how many times I've seen places where a few databases are not being backed up at all, or production databases set to Simple Recovery Model, or worse, in FULL, but with no tlog backups (and the time bomb is ever growing). Once I ensure things are backed up and not about the explode, THEN I venture into other areas.
By 'applications', this includes SSIS/DTS packages, SSRS reports which are demanded by Sally in Accounting on Friday.
If there are no documents from the previous folks, I end up interviewing who I can to piece things together. Make a matrix that intersects apps to their databases, note all of the technologies (Access/Excel front end hooking direct to SQL Server 2005, etc.) and map out the jobs and other timed events. Then I run a trace and see which workstations/servers are connecting to the database and ensure I've caught all of the 'users' who are pounding away on the database.
If anyone has a better way, I'm all ears. Maybe Red Gate can make an 'enterprise analyzer' to magically detect who is using which apps when.
Jim Murphy
http://www.sqlwatchmen.com
@SQLMurph
May 23, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Jim Murphy (5/23/2011)
Grant Fritchey (5/23/2011)
colin.Leversuch-Roberts (5/23/2011)
isn't a bit scary when a DBA asks this question?You mean it's scary when a DBA asks what he ought to document? I'd like to see what people think about this one too. I know what I do, but I'm always on the lookout for better ways of doing things.
I approach things in a similar way. As for maintenance, the FIRST thing I look for are full backups, followed by TLog backups. Man, I can't say how many times I've seen places where a few databases are not being backed up at all, or production databases set to Simple Recovery Model, or worse, in FULL, but with no tlog backups (and the time bomb is ever growing). Once I ensure things are backed up and not about the explode, THEN I venture into other areas.
By 'applications', this includes SSIS/DTS packages, SSRS reports which are demanded by Sally in Accounting on Friday.
If there are no documents from the previous folks, I end up interviewing who I can to piece things together. Make a matrix that intersects apps to their databases, note all of the technologies (Access/Excel front end hooking direct to SQL Server 2005, etc.) and map out the jobs and other timed events. Then I run a trace and see which workstations/servers are connecting to the database and ensure I've caught all of the 'users' who are pounding away on the database.
If anyone has a better way, I'm all ears. Maybe Red Gate can make an 'enterprise analyzer' to magically detect who is using which apps when.
It would have to be magic. Getting info out of different teams can be like pulling teeth and then there are the projects that no one in a company owns or the really scary ones that you can't find out who uses it.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 23, 2011 at 6:51 pm
Thanks for all the replies guys...
And to the guy who said it is scary if a dba asks this - i am just trying to get different opinions as to what other dba's do when they document...im new to this company so id like to do a good job on doing an inventory list and good documentation...im not saying i dont know how to do it, im just picking other dba's brains to kind of see how everyone else does it! dont be a debbie downer or nancy negative...
May 24, 2011 at 1:25 am
Here we go.. We can do in so many ways, its depend on time period and Access/Excel front end hooking direct to SQL Server 2008, SSRS etc. I recently used Excel, bcouse my company want in Excel otherwise i want to use SSRS so everybody can have access online and update.
Anyway: Server Name, Physical_Name, Fill Factor,Log Location,Database Name,Total Database,CreatedData,Status,DatabaseSize, InstanceName,Product,OperatingSystem,Windows SPack,SQL Spack,SqlVersion,Owner,IP,Location,Language,max server memory (MB),ServerName & InstanceName,Disk Type,Drive Letter,DriveLabel,DriveSize,UsedSpace,FreeSpace in MB,LastBackupDate,DaysSinceLastBackup,Recovery Model,LicenseType,Number of Licenses, Login Attempts, Cpu Busy,Since, list go on on. Purpose to use this documentation. Let me know if you have any further. Good Luck
May 24, 2011 at 6:40 am
I still think it was a valid comment, maybe your question could have been worded differently? I'm not trying to put anyone down but see it another way - suppose this came from the DBA at your bank how confident would you feel .
[font="Comic Sans MS"]The GrumpyOldDBA[/font]
www.grumpyolddba.co.uk
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/grumpyolddba/
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