Happy New Year!

Posted on January 3, 2012 by sqltechmike

I hope you had a safe and happy holiday season. To help ring in the new year I have published a new update to the SQL SPADE open source project found at http://sqlspade.codeplex.com. This update furthers the SQL 2012 support added in the 1.1 release by now supporting installs of SQL 2012 on Windows Server Core. I feel that this is one of the biggest areas of benefit for SPADE considering the steep learning curve that you face when you start working with Server Core. You don’t realize just how much you rely on graphical tools and wizards until they’re gone. Running SPADE turns installing SQL Server into running a single PowerShell function, no GUI needed.

Along with the support for Server Core, the following enhancements have been make to SPADE release 1.2:

Added QtWeb (Open Source) standalone browser for viewing the SQL SPADE log on Server Core – I still prefer this over writing the log to a plain text file that would have to be searched for errors
Changed the Set-SqlTcpPort logic to use the WMI method because the registry method was inconsistent when installing SQL 2012 on Server Core
Fixed the exists check in the VerifyAdminGroup script to look for the fully qualified domain group
Fixed a logic error in the Execute-SqlCommand function that was masking exceptions when the SQL connection failed
Added support for excluding scripts by putting an “_” at the beginning of the file name – when a script is excluded the install will log that the script is being skipped because it has been marked as excluded
Changed the ConfigureDatabaseMail script to a PowerShell script that uses external configurations stored in the Run-Install.config file – this change was to enforce the pattern of all script variables being centralized in the configuration file and simplifies implementation for new environments
Changed the order for the RemoveBuiltinAdminsLogin script – moved this script to the end of the process so it is not executed in the event of a critical failure
Changed the order for the Restart-SqlService script – moved this to the end of the process because the time needed to restart the service could cause failures in subsequent SQL scripts

I have also added script management functionality to the SqlSpadeHelper tool. Watch here for an upcoming article that details how to use it to manage your scripts.

Would You Like to Save Some Time?

Posted on September 25, 2011 by admin

Creative Commons - http://www.flickr.com/photos/oter/3663113949/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Sure, we all would!

What if I told you that there was a new project on codeplex that could has saved hundreds of hours for my organization and could do the same for you? Well, this weekend marks the first public release of the Scripted PowerShell Automated Deployment Engine (SPADE) for SQL Server and that is exactly what it’s designed to do.

Why?

I believe that any repetitive task is a potential candidate for automation, and installing SQL Server is no different. You may say “I already automate my installs using an unattended configuration file”, but that only addresses part of the problem. What about those changes you have to make prior to the install? Things like configuring Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MSDTC), or changing the TCP Offload Chimney setting? Then, once your install is complete, your job still isn’t done. My shop, like most companies, has a list of things that need to be done after the install like setting up Database Mail, creating Operators, deploying standard Stored Procedures, and the list goes on. What if there was a way to automate the entire process from beginning to end? Well, now there is…

What?

SPADE is a process that I have created that does exactly that. The process is PowerShell based and completely customizable for any organization. I built the system to be folder based, so adding new Pre Install or Post Install tasks is as easy as dropping a new script into a folder.

How?

The SPADE process is very simple and mimics the same process that you would follow if you were installing manually. It processes a list of Pre Install tasks, creates the unattended install file for you, installs SQL Server, and then processes a list of Post Install tasks. The difference is that SPADE leverages the awesomeness that is PowerShell to modify those configurations for you, so you don’t have to navigate through multiple different application interfaces to get it done. Fewer clicks means that you can move on to something else faster.

Where?

You can download SPADE from http://sqlspade.codeplex.com

When?

The initial beta release is available now, so what are you waiting for?

The Catch…

This system currently supports Standalone (Not clustered) installs of SQL Server 2005, 2008, and 2008R2. I am currently working on support for “Denali” and will have that available once it has RTM’d. Also, while I have tested the Database Engine components and Integration Services, I have not tested the install of Reporting Services or Analysis Services yet. Any volunteers would be greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer

This is beta software, and should be treated accordingly. My team has used this software in my organization for many months and saved hundreds of hours in the process, but every environment is different. Once I have received sufficient feedback and addressed any issues that have been identified I will remove the “Beta” designation.

Many months have gone into preparing this release and I hope that you find it as valuable for automating SQL Server installs as I have.

My Shot At The Majors…

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin

Last year I made a difficult decision to leave an organization that I had been part of for 8 years. I had developed very close relationships with so many people and I still care very much about the success of the organization, but I needed make the change for my continued growth.

As a direct result of that decision this year has become a significant building year for me, and to continue that growth I have submitted my first abstract to speak at the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) Summit this October in Seattle, Washington.

There are a number of reasons that a person would want to speak at a large conference like this, but the major factors for me are:

- The opportunity to grow as a speaker

- To share a technology I am passionate about

The opportunity to grow as a speaker

I spoke at my first technology event back in 2007 at the Tampa Code Camp. Since then I have had the privilege of speaking at Code Camps, SQL Saturdays, and most recently at the first ever IT Camp in Tampa. I love being able to help others by sharing my knowledge and always appreciate the chance to learn from them too. The next logical seemed is to submit for a larger event, and given my love of SQL Server, where else would I go but to PASS.

To share a technology I am passionate about

Anybody that knows me will tell you that I am a geek to the core. I love technology, but even more than that, I love using technology to solve problems. The purpose of technology is to make a task or process faster, easier, and less prone to error. That thought process works not just for the users we support, but for us as well. I am always looking for ways save time and make common tasks easier.

That pursuit has led me to my latest project, a streamlined deployment engine for SQL Server that is written in PowerShell. This process is currently being used in my organization and has already saved us hundreds of hours by reducing the time it takes to stand up a new SQL Server instance to 20 minutes. This includes everything from configuring MSDTC and verifying drive access, installing SQL Server, and then deploying all of our standard objects like databases, stored procedures, and agent jobs.

I feel so strongly that this process can help others that I have turned it into a CodePlex project for the entire community to use. I have found that public speaking is easier for me when I am passionate about the subject matter, and I have been so excited about this project that it seemed like the perfect session to submit to PASS.

What’s Next?

As I work towards my first release of the project I will post articles explaining what it does, how it works, and how it can be easily customized for your organization. I will also continue to speak about at various events including the following:

-SQL Saturday #77 – June 4th – Pensacola, Florida

-The Orlando PASS User Group Meeting – June 14th – Orlando, Florida

-The PASS PowerShell Virtual Chapter Meeting – June 15th – Webcast

If you are interested in finding out more about the project, please join me at any of the above events. If you are a member of PASS, please log on by the end of the day on May 20th and vote for my session in the Summit survey. And, if you are not a member of PASS, please consider joining.

Welcome!

Posted on March 23, 2011 by admin

Welcome to my blog. I’d like to start off by introducing myself…I’m a DBA for a large financial firm in Florida, but I have a background in networking and .Net development. This means that my posts could cover just about anything, but will be mostly focused on the administration of SQL Server and how PowerShell can be used to make that easier.

I hope that you find my content interesting and welcome any feedback that you have.