OSQL -E

Sometimes, you get a black-box installation by a third party supplier: and, when you politely enquire as to whether you can install SSMS on the server so that you can pull out pertinent information for your SQL Estate Audit (because, naturally, the installation on the server is such that you cannot connect remotely: you just know that the server is there), the answer is no. Grrr.

But not the end of the world. Via the command prompt, we can open a connection to that instance of SQL, and run whatever queries we fancy with a local administrator's account (because, let's face it, if they haven't installed SSMS, and they're a third party supplier, the likelihood is that they haven't disabled the BuiltIn\Administrators group....).

Start off by checking the Services on the Server, to get an indication of what you've got: also check SQL Server Configuration. This will let you know how many instances of SQL are on the server, and whether they have a name other than the default servername. On the server I'm looking at, I've got two instances of SQL Express. I can connect to one by typing the following in the command prompt:

OSQL -E

For the second, I need to be a bit more specific, and type

OSQL -E -S ServerName\InstanceName

Once I've got OSQL running, I can query merrily. Every T-SQL statement that I can run in SSMS or Query Analyzer can be run in OSQL. I can execute stored procedures. I can change databases. I just need to remember that instead of hitting 'F5' to run my statement, I need to end my statement with 'GO', and press enter. It's worthwhile not running 'SELECT *', since the formatting leaves something to be desired, and it's a bit tricky....

So, what might my useful statements be? I've used a selection of the following today

To list my databases
SELECT name
FROM sys.databases
GO

To check authentication mode

SELECT CASE SERVERPROPERTY('IsIntegratedSecurityOnly')
WHEN 1 THEN 'Windows Authentication'
WHEN 0 THEN 'Windows and SQL Server Authentication'
ELSE 'Unknown'
END
GO

To check recovery mode

SELECT recovery_model_desc
FROM sys.databases
GO

To check collation

SELECT name, collation_name
FROM sys.databases
GO

To check database owner

SELECT name, SUSER_SNAME(owner_sid)FROM sys.databases
GO

To check SQL Version, Windows Version and SQL Service Pack

SELECT @@VERSION
GO
SELECT ServerProperty('ProductLevel')
GO

To check database size

USE dbname
GO
EXEC sp_spaceused
GO

It's pretty easy to find out what you need by searching for the criteria, with an additional search of 'T-SQL' slapped at the front of the string. More additions will be made here as I come to need them, however, this got me what I wanted for my spreadsheet....

experts-exchange.com

Have you ever tried scrolling right the way down to the bottom of the page when Google has pointed you at a potential solution?

Go on. Past all the random grey boxes.

Useful, eh?

If you're navigating round the site itself, this scrolling doesn't work: but if you take the URL of the discussion you're looking at and stick that into Google (or Bing, or whatever) and then click back through from there, scroll down: bingo! An answer.

You still need to sign up if you want to ask questions, though.