You can watch the replay for this Geek Sync webcast in the IDERA Resource Center: https://www.idera.com/resourcecentral/webcasts/geeksync/practical-powershell Many DBAs don't have time to learn PowerShell. Thankfully, there is an excellent PowerShell library already created specifically for handling many of the tasks that SQL Server DBAs regularly perform, and you will be surprised at just how easy it is to use! How would you like to be able to patch all, or just a few, of your SQL Servers by calling 1 command? What about backing up and restoring multiple databases to your Dev and QA environments with a single click? Do you need to migrate all of your logins, or SQL Agent jobs, from one server to another? There's a simple command for that. You can even have a single script that configures a new server in minutes, or ensures your existing servers match your desired configuration. In this Geek Sync, Eric Cobb will show you just how easy it is to use the dbatools PowerShell module, and take PowerShell from a "Nice To Have" to "I Must Have That!" Speaker: After a 14-year programming career as a web and software developer, Eric Cobb decided to move full time into the world of databases and became a SQL Server database administrator. He earned 2 SQL Server MCSE certifications along the way, and now manages a team of SQL Server professionals. Eric regularly presents and blogs about SQL Server, with a focus on teaching database administration and design concepts to the developer community. He frequently speaks at Developer and Database conferences throughout the country. In 2019 Eric was selected to be a 2020 IDERA ACE, for showing a passion in helping the developer community and sharing his knowledge.

1. Practical PowerShell
For The Busy DBA
Eric Cobb
http://www.sqlnuggets.com
11/19/2020

2. About Me
Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
MCSE: Data Management and Analytics
MCSE: Data Platform
1999-2013: “Webmaster“, Programmer, Developer
2014+: SQL Server Database Administrator
GitHub: https://github.com/ericcobb
Blog: http://www.sqlnuggets.com
Twitter: @sqlnugg, @cfgears

3. About dbatools
Chrissy LeMaire, Creator
SQL Server & PowerShell MVP
SQL Server DBA with over 20 years of experience
As of today, dbatools has over 140 contributors on github and over 1700
users in the Slack channel
https://dbatools.io/team/

4. About dbatools
• Initially started out as a SQL Server migration tool
and has been around since 2014
• Over 500 SQL Server best practice, administration,
development, and migration commands
• https://dbatools.io/commands/

5. About dbatools
What Can It Do?
• Backup & Restore databases
• DBCC CHECKDB
• Mail and logging
• First Responder Kit
• sp_whoisactive
• Set Startup Params (Trace Flags)
• Availability Groups
• Check Drive Space
• Login and User Management
• SQL Agent
• sp_configure
• Glenn Berry’s Diagnostic Queries
• Install Ola Hallengren’s scripts
• Set Server Power Plan
• Run T-SQL Statements
• Set MAXDOP, Max Mem, Recovery

6. Things To Know
• You don't have to know how to program in
PowerShell
– You just have to learn to call the commands
• EXEC sp_Blitz @IgnorePrioritiesAbove = 50
• EXEC sp_WhoIsActive @get_plans = 1,@get_task_info = 2
• EXEC IndexOptimize @Databases = 'USER_DATABASES'
• Backup-DbaDatabase -SqlInstance 'Srvr1'-Database
'DbName’
• 723 lines of PowerShell code you didn’t have to write

7. Things To Know
• You don’t have to install dbatools on every server
– Only the client machine executing the commands needs
dbatools installed
– Can connect to all versions of SQL Server from SQL 2000
up, including Azure SQL Database and Azure Managed
Instances

8. Things To Know
• How to install dbatools
– Install-Module dbatools
– Detailed tutorial: https://dbatools.io/soup2nutz/

9. Things To Know
• What IDE to use?
– PowerShell ISE
– Visual Studio Code
– Idera PowerShell Plus
– Notepad

10. Things To Know
• Credentials
– By default, all SQL-based commands will login to SQL
Server using Windows Authentication
– To use alternative credentials, including SQL Logins or
alternative Windows credentials, use the –SqlCredential
parameter

11. Things To Know
• Pipeline
– Use the pipe character to string together a series of
PowerShell cmdlets
– Each pipeline operator sends the results of the preceding
command to the next command
– Command-1 | Command-2 | Command-3
– Get-Service 'MSSQLSERVER' | Stop-Service

12. Things To Know
• What if?
– dbatools has a –whatif parameter that will show you
what would happen if you run the command, without
actually running it
– “If this switch is enabled, no actions are performed but
informational messages will be displayed that explain
what would happen if the command were to run.”

13. Demo Time!