Real World SQL Server Administration with Perl

Real World SQL Server Administration with Perl focuses on how Perl can be applied to perform administration tasks involving SQL Server. Shea has provided a great detail of material in nearly all major areas of SQL Server administration. Subtopics include migrating data, comparing and sorting database objects, analyzing log files, analyzing and generating SQL code, monitoring SQL Servers, and managing SQL Servers in an enterprise environment. In every subtopic, Shea succeeds in demonstrating how Perl can be used to build tools to perform a particular administrative task. A common theme found throughout the book is to use Perl to bridge the gap between standard and third-party SQL Server administration management tools with Perl scripts. The first three chapters of the book along with Appendix B review the basics of Perl as well as Perl modules. Much focus is given to Windows specific modules included in ActivePerl, the leading freeware Perl runtime environment from ActiveState. Over the course of chapters 2 and 3, Shea details how to use Perl to connect both with ADO and ODBC (as part of this, he touches upon using COM from Perl). Also introduced in these chapters are utility routines that Shea has developed to support the tools that he provides in later chapters. Starting in chapter 4, Shea launches into the gist of the book, SQL Server administration. The first topic covered is data migration focusing on the bulk copy program (BCP). As examples, he demonstrates the importing of both the SQL Server error log as well as the Windows PerfMon log. Changing gears in chapter 5, the comparison of table columns, column indexes, contraints, stored procedures is introduced. In each case, at least one script is shown as an example. Later in chapter 5, Linchi provides a comprehensive script that compares several database objects in one script execution pass. His intent in this chapter is to address a common DBA task, comparing database schemas for change management whether it be for application trouble-shooting or upgrading deployments. He then concludes chapter 5 with scripts for generating stored procedure call trees and procedure dependency lists. Chapter 5 is jammed packet with several cool Perl scripts including the following: 1. Table columns - compareColumns.pl 2. Table indexes - compareIndexes.pl 3. Constraints - compareConstraints.pl 4. Store Procedures - compareSPs.pl 5. Schemas - The first comparison rolled into script, compareDBs.pl 6. Stored Procedure Call Tree (callTree.pl) 7. Stored Procedure (Package) Dependency Lister (sortSPs.pl) - this Perl script will scan a group of stored procedures and identify the dependencies of other stored procedures. 8. Producting a Reference Tree for a Table (tableTree.pl) - this Perl script will generate a table dependency graph of other tables that are referred to by their foreign keys. In chapter 6, Shea switches to a different track, analysis of the internals of a SQL Server database. Here he dives into

What a fantastic, well written, example laden book. If you are a SQL Server DBA or Developer (or Windows Admin or Power User) and know or wish to learn Perl to help automate many of your proactive and reactive monitoring tasks then this book is for you. Shea is one smart cookie and I'm really impressed by his book.

This book contains a lot of good and practical perl code. It really help me a lot.