What is Microsoft SQL Server operators and how to define them (Part 1)
By Alexzander Nepomnjashiy
Hi friends ! By this article we will began the discussion about SQL Server Operators – one of 3 components, allows DBA’s to automate database server administration.
Theory of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 automated administration
The more difficult the system, the more complex become its components administration. Daily, administrator run into numerous problems, requiring solutions in shortest time. Paraphrase this in case of database server administration - problems grow together with your databases - their number and sizes :- ).
The situation noticeably becomes more complicated, if your network has more then one (even more then one !!!) SQL Server boxes. The database administration is the continuous process and most of administrative tasks require regular execution.
Besides that, most of database server’s maintenance tasks server should be fulfilled in period of the minimal workload. More often this means - at night. In most companies the DBA position fulfilled only by one person. Probably, only small number of companies can afford vast database administrators staff (to perform maintenance tasks around a clock). The DBA cannot sit near the server twenty-four hours a day, doing the backup copying or truncating the transaction logs. Fortunately, the possibilities to automate the process of database server maintenance exist!
In new (next after 6.5) version of its database server, Microsoft made a considerable step to automation of daily DBA tasks. Apart from dynamic auto configuration, due to database server independently make changes of indispensable parameters; there is a possibility to partly shift at the system routine administrative tasks execution.
The automation allows removing from the database administrator most of problems, having shifted execution of routine duties on a specially designed SQL Server Agent subsystem. Additionally, Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 allows essentially facilitate DBA’s life, gives him the possibility of multiserver administration. DBA can benefit from multiserver administration if he manages even more then one database server.
Three main components of automatic database server administration:
· Operators.
In whole, together these objects organize the powerful, automatic system of checking database server operation.
So, one of the components, SQL Server Agent (and automatic Microsoft SQL Server administration) based on - SQL Server operators. The operators receive the messages dispatched by SQL Server Agent (when notifications (warnings) are activated). It is not necessary, that operator associates with DBA. Operators – member of technical staff, taking up duties on execution of the definite administrative duties (in case of need). For example, company, IT stuff member, responsible for backup copying should receive messages from SQL Server Agent in case of backup procedure failure. If this procedure completed unsuccessfully, it will be necessary for him to restart the backup operation, beforehand having conducted diagnostics and having removed a reason of a problem appearance.
