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📄 Contents

  1. SQL Server Reference Guide
  2. Introduction
  3. SQL Server Reference Guide Overview
  4. Table of Contents
  5. Microsoft SQL Server Defined
  6. SQL Server Editions
  7. SQL Server Access
  8. Informit Articles and Sample Chapters
  9. Online Resources
  10. Microsoft SQL Server Features
  11. SQL Server Books Online
  12. Clustering Services
  13. Data Transformation Services (DTS) Overview
  14. Replication Services
  15. Database Mirroring
  16. Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  17. Analysis Services
  18. Microsot SQL Server Reporting Services
  19. XML Overview
  20. Notification Services for the DBA
  21. Full-Text Search
  22. SQL Server 2005 - Service Broker
  23. Using SQL Server as a Web Service
  24. SQL Server Encryption Options Overview
  25. SQL Server 2008 Overview
  26. SQL Server 2008 R2 Overview
  27. SQL Azure
  28. The Utility Control Point and Data Application Component, Part 1
  29. The Utility Control Point and Data Application Component, Part 2
  30. Microsoft SQL Server Administration
  31. The DBA Survival Guide: The 10 Minute SQL Server Overview
  32. Preparing (or Tuning) a Windows System for SQL Server, Part 1
  33. Preparing (or Tuning) a Windows System for SQL Server, Part 2
  34. Installing SQL Server
  35. Upgrading SQL Server
  36. SQL Server 2000 Management Tools
  37. SQL Server 2005 Management Tools
  38. SQL Server 2008 Management Tools
  39. SQL Azure Tools
  40. Automating Tasks with SQL Server Agent
  41. Run Operating System Commands in SQL Agent using PowerShell
  42. Automating Tasks Without SQL Server Agent
  43. Storage – SQL Server I/O
  44. Service Packs, Hotfixes and Cumulative Upgrades
  45. Tracking SQL Server Information with Error and Event Logs
  46. Change Management
  47. SQL Server Metadata, Part One
  48. SQL Server Meta-Data, Part Two
  49. Monitoring - SQL Server 2005 Dynamic Views and Functions
  50. Monitoring - Performance Monitor
  51. Unattended Performance Monitoring for SQL Server
  52. Monitoring - User-Defined Performance Counters
  53. Monitoring: SQL Server Activity Monitor
  54. SQL Server Instances
  55. DBCC Commands
  56. SQL Server and Mail
  57. Database Maintenance Checklist
  58. The Maintenance Wizard: SQL Server 2000 and Earlier
  59. The Maintenance Wizard: SQL Server 2005 (SP2) and Later
  60. The Web Assistant Wizard
  61. Creating Web Pages from SQL Server
  62. SQL Server Security
  63. Securing the SQL Server Platform, Part 1
  64. Securing the SQL Server Platform, Part 2
  65. SQL Server Security: Users and other Principals
  66. SQL Server Security – Roles
  67. SQL Server Security: Objects (Securables)
  68. Security: Using the Command Line
  69. SQL Server Security - Encrypting Connections
  70. SQL Server Security: Encrypting Data
  71. SQL Server Security Audit
  72. High Availability - SQL Server Clustering
  73. SQL Server Configuration, Part 1
  74. SQL Server Configuration, Part 2
  75. Database Configuration Options
  76. 32- vs 64-bit Computing for SQL Server
  77. SQL Server and Memory
  78. Performance Tuning: Introduction to Indexes
  79. Statistical Indexes
  80. Backup and Recovery
  81. Backup and Recovery Examples, Part One
  82. Backup and Recovery Examples, Part Two: Transferring Databases to Another System (Even Without Backups)
  83. SQL Profiler - Reverse Engineering An Application
  84. SQL Trace
  85. SQL Server Alerts
  86. Files and Filegroups
  87. Partitioning
  88. Full-Text Indexes
  89. Read-Only Data
  90. SQL Server Locks
  91. Monitoring Locking and Deadlocking
  92. Controlling Locks in SQL Server
  93. SQL Server Policy-Based Management, Part One
  94. SQL Server Policy-Based Management, Part Two
  95. SQL Server Policy-Based Management, Part Three
  96. Microsoft SQL Server Programming
  97. An Outline for Development
  98. Database
  99. Database Services
  100. Database Objects: Databases
  101. Database Objects: Tables
  102. Database Objects: Table Relationships
  103. Database Objects: Keys
  104. Database Objects: Constraints
  105. Database Objects: Data Types
  106. Database Objects: Views
  107. Database Objects: Stored Procedures
  108. Database Objects: Indexes
  109. Database Objects: User Defined Functions
  110. Database Objects: Triggers
  111. Database Design: Requirements, Entities, and Attributes
  112. Business Process Model Notation (BPMN) and the Data Professional
  113. Business Questions for Database Design, Part One
  114. Business Questions for Database Design, Part Two
  115. Database Design: Finalizing Requirements and Defining Relationships
  116. Database Design: Creating an Entity Relationship Diagram
  117. Database Design: The Logical ERD
  118. Database Design: Adjusting The Model
  119. Database Design: Normalizing the Model
  120. Creating The Physical Model
  121. Database Design: Changing Attributes to Columns
  122. Database Design: Creating The Physical Database
  123. Database Design Example: Curriculum Vitae
  124. NULLs
  125. The SQL Server Sample Databases
  126. The SQL Server Sample Databases: pubs
  127. The SQL Server Sample Databases: NorthWind
  128. The SQL Server Sample Databases: AdventureWorks
  129. The SQL Server Sample Databases: Adventureworks Derivatives
  130. UniversalDB: The Demo and Testing Database, Part 1
  131. UniversalDB: The Demo and Testing Database, Part 2
  132. UniversalDB: The Demo and Testing Database, Part 3
  133. UniversalDB: The Demo and Testing Database, Part 4
  134. Getting Started with Transact-SQL
  135. Transact-SQL: Data Definition Language (DDL) Basics
  136. Transact-SQL: Limiting Results
  137. Transact-SQL: More Operators
  138. Transact-SQL: Ordering and Aggregating Data
  139. Transact-SQL: Subqueries
  140. Transact-SQL: Joins
  141. Transact-SQL: Complex Joins - Building a View with Multiple JOINs
  142. Transact-SQL: Inserts, Updates, and Deletes
  143. An Introduction to the CLR in SQL Server 2005
  144. Design Elements Part 1: Programming Flow Overview, Code Format and Commenting your Code
  145. Design Elements Part 2: Controlling SQL's Scope
  146. Design Elements Part 3: Error Handling
  147. Design Elements Part 4: Variables
  148. Design Elements Part 5: Where Does The Code Live?
  149. Design Elements Part 6: Math Operators and Functions
  150. Design Elements Part 7: Statistical Functions
  151. Design Elements Part 8: Summarization Statistical Algorithms
  152. Design Elements Part 9:Representing Data with Statistical Algorithms
  153. Design Elements Part 10: Interpreting the Data—Regression
  154. Design Elements Part 11: String Manipulation
  155. Design Elements Part 12: Loops
  156. Design Elements Part 13: Recursion
  157. Design Elements Part 14: Arrays
  158. Design Elements Part 15: Event-Driven Programming Vs. Scheduled Processes
  159. Design Elements Part 16: Event-Driven Programming
  160. Design Elements Part 17: Program Flow
  161. Forming Queries Part 1: Design
  162. Forming Queries Part 2: Query Basics
  163. Forming Queries Part 3: Query Optimization
  164. Forming Queries Part 4: SET Options
  165. Forming Queries Part 5: Table Optimization Hints
  166. Using SQL Server Templates
  167. Transact-SQL Unit Testing
  168. Index Tuning Wizard
  169. Unicode and SQL Server
  170. SQL Server Development Tools
  171. The SQL Server Transact-SQL Debugger
  172. The Transact-SQL Debugger, Part 2
  173. Basic Troubleshooting for Transact-SQL Code
  174. An Introduction to Spatial Data in SQL Server 2008
  175. Performance Tuning
  176. Performance Tuning SQL Server: Tools and Processes
  177. Performance Tuning SQL Server: Tools Overview
  178. Creating a Performance Tuning Audit - Defining Components
  179. Creating a Performance Tuning Audit - Evaluation Part One
  180. Creating a Performance Tuning Audit - Evaluation Part Two
  181. Creating a Performance Tuning Audit - Interpretation
  182. Creating a Performance Tuning Audit - Developing an Action Plan
  183. Understanding SQL Server Query Plans
  184. Performance Tuning: Implementing Indexes
  185. Performance Monitoring Tools: Windows 2008 (and Higher) Server Utilities, Part 1
  186. Performance Monitoring Tools: Windows 2008 (and Higher) Server Utilities, Part 2
  187. Performance Monitoring Tools: Windows System Monitor
  188. Performance Monitoring Tools: Logging with System Monitor
  189. Performance Monitoring Tools: User Defined Counters
  190. General Transact-SQL (T-SQL) Performance Tuning, Part 1
  191. General Transact-SQL (T-SQL) Performance Tuning, Part 2
  192. General Transact-SQL (T-SQL) Performance Tuning, Part 3
  193. Performance Monitoring Tools: An Introduction to SQL Profiler
  194. Performance Tuning: Introduction to Indexes
  195. Performance Monitoring Tools: SQL Server 2000 Index Tuning Wizard
  196. Performance Monitoring Tools: SQL Server 2005 Database Tuning Advisor
  197. Performance Monitoring Tools: SQL Server Management Studio Reports
  198. Performance Monitoring Tools: SQL Server 2008 Activity Monitor
  199. The SQL Server 2008 Management Data Warehouse and Data Collector
  200. Performance Monitoring Tools: Evaluating Wait States with PowerShell and Excel
  201. Practical Applications
  202. Choosing the Back End
  203. The DBA's Toolbox, Part 1
  204. The DBA's Toolbox, Part 2
  205. Scripting Solutions for SQL Server
  206. Building a SQL Server Lab
  207. Using Graphics Files with SQL Server
  208. Enterprise Resource Planning
  209. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  210. Building a Reporting Data Server
  211. Building a Database Documenter, Part 1
  212. Building a Database Documenter, Part 2
  213. Data Management Objects
  214. Data Management Objects: The Server Object
  215. Data Management Objects: Server Object Methods
  216. Data Management Objects: Collections and the Database Object
  217. Data Management Objects: Database Information
  218. Data Management Objects: Database Control
  219. Data Management Objects: Database Maintenance
  220. Data Management Objects: Logging the Process
  221. Data Management Objects: Running SQL Statements
  222. Data Management Objects: Multiple Row Returns
  223. Data Management Objects: Other Database Objects
  224. Data Management Objects: Security
  225. Data Management Objects: Scripting
  226. Powershell and SQL Server - Overview
  227. PowerShell and SQL Server - Objects and Providers
  228. Powershell and SQL Server - A Script Framework
  229. Powershell and SQL Server - Logging the Process
  230. Powershell and SQL Server - Reading a Control File
  231. Powershell and SQL Server - SQL Server Access
  232. Powershell and SQL Server - Web Pages from a SQL Query
  233. Powershell and SQL Server - Scrubbing the Event Logs
  234. SQL Server 2008 PowerShell Provider
  235. SQL Server I/O: Importing and Exporting Data
  236. SQL Server I/O: XML in Database Terms
  237. SQL Server I/O: Creating XML Output
  238. SQL Server I/O: Reading XML Documents
  239. SQL Server I/O: Using XML Control Mechanisms
  240. SQL Server I/O: Creating Hierarchies
  241. SQL Server I/O: Using HTTP with SQL Server XML
  242. SQL Server I/O: Using HTTP with SQL Server XML Templates
  243. SQL Server I/O: Remote Queries
  244. SQL Server I/O: Working with Text Files
  245. Using Microsoft SQL Server on Handheld Devices
  246. Front-Ends 101: Microsoft Access
  247. Comparing Two SQL Server Databases
  248. English Query - Part 1
  249. English Query - Part 2
  250. English Query - Part 3
  251. English Query - Part 4
  252. English Query - Part 5
  253. RSS Feeds from SQL Server
  254. Using SQL Server Agent to Monitor Backups
  255. Reporting Services - Creating a Maintenance Report
  256. SQL Server Chargeback Strategies, Part 1
  257. SQL Server Chargeback Strategies, Part 2
  258. SQL Server Replication Example
  259. Creating a Master Agent and Alert Server
  260. The SQL Server Central Management System: Definition
  261. The SQL Server Central Management System: Base Tables
  262. The SQL Server Central Management System: Execution of Server Information (Part 1)
  263. The SQL Server Central Management System: Execution of Server Information (Part 2)
  264. The SQL Server Central Management System: Collecting Performance Metrics
  265. The SQL Server Central Management System: Centralizing Agent Jobs, Events and Scripts
  266. The SQL Server Central Management System: Reporting the Data and Project Summary
  267. Time Tracking for SQL Server Operations
  268. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server
  269. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Model the System
  270. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Model the System, Continued
  271. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Decide on the Destination
  272. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Design the ETL
  273. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Design the ETL, Continued
  274. Migrating Departmental Data Stores to SQL Server: Attach the Front End, Test, and Monitor
  275. Tracking SQL Server Timed Events, Part 1
  276. Tracking SQL Server Timed Events, Part 2
  277. Patterns and Practices for the Data Professional
  278. Managing Vendor Databases
  279. Consolidation Options
  280. Connecting to a SQL Azure Database from Microsoft Access
  281. SharePoint 2007 and SQL Server, Part One
  282. SharePoint 2007 and SQL Server, Part Two
  283. SharePoint 2007 and SQL Server, Part Three
  284. Querying Multiple Data Sources from a Single Location (Distributed Queries)
  285. Importing and Exporting Data for SQL Azure
  286. Working on Distributed Teams
  287. Professional Development
  288. Becoming a DBA
  289. Certification
  290. DBA Levels
  291. Becoming a Data Professional
  292. SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 1
  293. SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 2
  294. SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 3
  295. Evaluating Technical Options
  296. System Sizing
  297. Creating a Disaster Recovery Plan
  298. Anatomy of a Disaster (Response Plan)
  299. Database Troubleshooting
  300. Conducting an Effective Code Review
  301. Developing an Exit Strategy
  302. Data Retention Strategy
  303. Keeping Your DBA/Developer Job in Troubled Times
  304. The SQL Server Runbook
  305. Creating and Maintaining a SQL Server Configuration History, Part 1
  306. Creating and Maintaining a SQL Server Configuration History, Part 2
  307. Creating an Application Profile, Part 1
  308. Creating an Application Profile, Part 2
  309. How to Attend a Technical Conference
  310. Tips for Maximizing Your IT Budget This Year
  311. The Importance of Blue-Sky Planning
  312. Application Architecture Assessments
  313. Transact-SQL Code Reviews, Part One
  314. Transact-SQL Code Reviews, Part Two
  315. Cloud Computing (Distributed Computing) Paradigms
  316. NoSQL for the SQL Server Professional, Part One
  317. NoSQL for the SQL Server Professional, Part Two
  318. Object-Role Modeling (ORM) for the Database Professional
  319. Business Intelligence
  320. BI Explained
  321. Developing a Data Dictionary
  322. BI Security
  323. Gathering BI Requirements
  324. Source System Extracts and Transforms
  325. ETL Mechanisms
  326. Business Intelligence Landscapes
  327. Business Intelligence Layouts and the Build or Buy Decision
  328. A Single Version of the Truth
  329. The Operational Data Store (ODS)
  330. Data Marts – Combining and Transforming Data
  331. Designing Data Elements
  332. The Enterprise Data Warehouse — Aggregations and the Star Schema
  333. On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP)
  334. Data Mining
  335. Key Performance Indicators
  336. BI Presentation - Client Tools
  337. BI Presentation - Portals
  338. Implementing ETL - Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
  339. Building a Business Intelligence Solution, Part 1
  340. Building a Business Intelligence Solution, Part 2
  341. Building a Business Intelligence Solution, Part 3
  342. Tips and Troubleshooting
  343. SQL Server and Microsoft Excel Integration
  344. Tips for the SQL Server Tools: SQL Server 2000
  345. Tips for the SQL Server Tools – SQL Server 2005
  346. Transaction Log Troubles
  347. SQL Server Connection Problems
  348. Orphaned Database Users
  349. Additional Resources
  350. Tools and Downloads
  351. Utilities (Free)
  352. Tool Review (Free): DBDesignerFork
  353. Aqua Data Studio
  354. Microsoft SQL Server Best Practices Analyzer
  355. Utilities (Cost)
  356. Quest Software's TOAD for SQL Server
  357. Quest Software's Spotlight on SQL Server
  358. SQL Server on Microsoft's Virtual PC
  359. Red Gate SQL Bundle
  360. Microsoft's Visio for Database Folks
  361. Quest Capacity Manager
  362. SQL Server Help
  363. Visual Studio Team Edition for Database Professionals
  364. Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator
  365. Aggregating Server Data from the MAPS Tool

I’ve divided this article series into two parts. The first deals with SQL Server version 2000 and lower, if you still have that around. The second deals with SQL Server 2005 and later — but with a caveat. A fairly significant change in Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2005 allowed for separate schedules for each task, and that’s critical to using the Wizard properly. If you are on SQL Server 2005 with SP1 or earlier, you’ll need to keep that in mind. Anything later than that has the fix.

I’ll cover some of the same information in both articles, just in case you’ve arrived here by way of a link.

If you've been assigned to work on SQL Server and you're not an expert, or perhaps you've been asked to step in to a DBA role that's unfamiliar to you, you'll find several Wizards in SQL Server that will guide you through many tasks. Used properly, these Wizards can be very useful — but you need to understand what they are doing for you, and when and where they are appropriate to use.

This is the second in a series of articles dealing with Maintenance Wizards in SQL Server. In the first one I covered SQL Server 2000 and earlier. I’m repeating a lot of the same general information in both tutorials, so they’ll look alike, but I’ll be specific in this one to SQL Server 2005 with Service Pack 2 and later. A fairly significant change in Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2005 allowed for separate schedules for each task, and that’s critical to using the Wizard properly. If you are on SQL Server 2005 with SP1 or earlier, you’ll need to keep that in mind. Anything later than that has the fix.

You should only use the Wizards when you have a small system with no maintenance on it and you’re not sure how all that works. I advocate that you use a Maintenance Wizard to get you up and running quickly, and then learn a more “manual” approach to replace the Wizard steps.

You should NOT use a Maintenance Wizard blindly, or with a large, complex system. In those cases, you can actually cause more issues than you fix. If you have one of these situations, educate yourself on creating a comprehensive maintenance plan, or even better, hire a qualified consultant to assist you. You can find those at many locations, including Microsoft, third parties and independents — just make sure you check references carefully in all cases. This is a critical step, and eventually even if you get help you’ll own the process. You want to ensure that you can handle things when the consultant is gone.

There are three or four main areas in maintenance — some of which can be done in an automated fashion using a Wizard and others which can’t. I should also note here that there are automated methods to do more of these — Olla Halengren’s scripts are some of the best in the world. I’m limiting my discussion here to the Wizards in SQL Server, however. Here’s a starter list of maintenance areas, and where the Wizards can be useful or not:

  • Error and Event Log Review - This one can’t be done by a wizard.
  • Database Consistency Checks - Can be done by a Wizard, but you still have to review the output.
  • Index Maintenance — Can be done with a Wizard, but they are a bit “monolithic” — meaning that you can’t really set a level of fragmentation to use. It either does the rebuild or reorganization, or it doesn’t. If you don’t know what any of that means, read on.

Database Backups — Can be done by a Wizard, but once again the choices are limited. You can’t get a comprehensive database backup plan with a Wizard, but it can handle the basics.

You can also check out my Maintenance Checklists, in addition to others from folks like Brad McGehee.

The Maintenance Wizard in SQL Server 2005 (SP2) and Later

There’s a big difference between the Maintenance Plans in SQL Server 2005 and later, and the Wizard steps in SQL Server 2000 and earlier. The later versions store the Maintenance Plans in SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), a feature introduced in SQL Server 2005.

The primary issue with Maintenance Plan Wizards in SQL Server 2005 and later is the same one with the earlier versions — if you just accept all choices and all defaults, you’ll end up in a bad situation. If, however, you are a smaller shop and you read and understand the choices you make, the Maintenance Plan Wizards can be a good option for you.

Opening SSQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), I’ll walk through creating a simple maintenance plan and explain the options. It’s important to understand that to create a more comprehensive plan, you would run through the Wizard multiple times based on the needs of each database. In this example, I’ll set up a Wizard to do all of the maintenance on the system databases — the ones that come from Microsoft, that essentially form the heart of the data used to run SQL Server. You can follow along on your test system, and in fact leave this plan in place there.

I’ve opened SSMS and navigated to the Management node in Object Explorer (OE) and right-clicked Maintenance Plans item.

I have two options — one to create a Maintenance Plan, which drops me into a blank canvas with actions and connections I can work with. This is sort of a cross between a Wizard approach, since it’s graphical, and a more scripted approach, since you have to build it yourself and understand what each object does.

Remember — I advocate that you create multiple Maintenance Plans, if you plan to use the Wizards to create your plans. I tend to create a plan for things that “go together” — in this case, I’ll keep the systems databases together, since on my system they have the same settings, backup requirements and so on.

In this example, I’ll pick the Maintenance Plan Wizard, which will also build a plan (technically an SSIS Package) but will guide me through the process. That selection brings up the following screen.

This is just an introductory screen, and you can check the box at the far left to skip it the next time. Clicking next here brings up the next screen.

Here I name the plan. I’ve actually removed the spaces in the name. The reason is that this plan actually has an entry in a table that later on I might work with, for reporting and so on. It’s just easier for me to work with values that don’t have the spaces, so that’s what I’m doing here. You can certainly include the spaces if you like. You’re also welcome to skip the Description field, but I normally put at least who created the plan and why.

The most important box on this screen was introduced in SQL Server 2005, in Service Pack 2. It’s marked “Separate schedules for each task”. That selection allows you to schedule each part of the script separately, which is a huge improvement over earlier releases. This allows a much better level of control for each step.

After those selections, I click Next to see the next screen.

Here I set the tasks I want to perform in this plan. There are a couple of things I need to point out on this screen, since this is where the Wizard can go wrong — if you just take all choices.

First, I do in fact want to check the physical integrity of the system. In fact, this is one of the main areas required in a maintenance plan anyway, the DBCC checks on the databases.

The next option — Shrink Database — should never be run. It sounds good, and it sounds like the right thing to do, but it actually isn’t. Shrinking a database causes fragmentation in the indexes, among other issues, so it just shouldn’t be done.

There next two operations are grouped together and that could also be a problem. You need to perform Index maintenance (you can read more on that here) but you only need one or the other of these two steps. The first, “Reorganize,” is a lighter level of defragmentation on the Indexes, but takes fewer resources and runs faster. Normally, you’ll do this when the fragmentation is below 30 or 40 percent.

The second option, “Rebuild,” completely re-writes the Index, taking more time and resources. This is normally done when the fragmentation is at 40 or 50 percent. The point is, you shouldn’t do both. If you’re unsure, read up on the options you have and choose one or the other. In this case, I tend to Reorganize most of the time, and then from time to time I measure the fragmentation and then follow the steps to Rebuild the Indexes.

The next choice is to Update the Statistics. Statistics are actually another kind of Index, but in my case I have settings on the database options to automatically create the Statistics and to keep them up to date. So this step isn’t necessary — ergo I de-select it here.

I select both the “Cleanup” tasks, that take care of removing the older reports of the activities, and the older backups. The choices for that — along with all of the other selections follow up.

Below that step is a selection to run an Agent Job. If you don’t know what that is, or you don’t have an Agent Job you want to run, then de-select it.

The next three options deal with the database backups, which is one of the most important steps in maintenance. But once again, you need to understand your choices.

At the very least, you need to take a Full database backup. You need to do that as often as the changes dictate, and a Full backup is only part of what you need to do. If you’re setting up a more comprehensive Maintenance Plan and this is the second or subsequent one you’re creating, then you might select the “Differential” backup option — but only if you have done a Full backup already. A Differential Backup backs up all the changes since the last Full Backup.

The next option is a Transaction Log backup. That’s a bit more complex than I want to cover here, so if you’re unfamiliar with the Transaction Log and Recover Levels, check out this article.

A Transaction Log Backup is only possible if the Database Recovery Level is Full or Bulk Logged — and my system databases aren’t. Not only that, you wouldn’t take a Full Backup and a Log Backup at the same time — that would serve no purpose.

The upshot is that you would not want to select all three backups in the same plan. This is another reason that some folks consider the Maintenance Wizard to be less useful than it could be — it seems to be a tool designed to help a beginner, but it doesn’t explain some of these more complex operations.

As I mentioned, I do select the cleanup tasks, and I’ll show you what those do in a moment. From here, I select Next to bring up the next screen.

This screen sets up the order of the tasks. Once again, it would be useful if Microsoft explained the ramifications of each choice, but they don’t.

The general pattern I follow is to check the database for errors first, then fix the Indexes, then do the backups. Cleanups should happen after their particular step runs, of course. You’ll notice, however, that in my screen I can’t change the order. That’s because I selected each step to have a different schedule, so in effect I’m the one that sets the order, in the step itself a little later. Again, this is the kind of thing you should see explained. From here I click Next to bring up this screen.

In the top part of this Screen you’ll notice that I’m working with the step that checks the database integrity, one of the key parts of the process. The first thing I do is select the database or databases I want this particular plan to work with. I don’t recommend that you pick “all databases” or even “all user databases.” Here’s why.

Selecting either one of these choices is interesting because it will automatically track all databases on the system — even new ones you create — and perform that step against it. While that sounds good, it can be counter-productive, since the step will start on all of them at once, which can have adverse effects on the system. And of course those databases might have different settings or options, such as the Recovery Level that can affect the step. For instance, you can’t back up the Transaction Log on a database with a Simple Recovery Model, so you couldn’t set the same kinds of backups for all database. Since these choices will pick up databases you don’t even know about yet, it’s dangerous to blindly make that choice.

In the case of the system databases, however, I do select all of them. Making the choice I have here ensures that even if Microsoft adds another system database in the future, this plan will work. And most system databases have the same settings — although you should make sure that’s true before you make this choice.

On this screen and the ones that follow, you’ll notice I check the box to ignore databases that aren’t online, since that will cause the plan to fail out if I don’t. If they are offline, that’s for a reason, so I don’t want to try and maintain them in that state.

After I press OK on the database selection, I’m returned to the main part of this panel, where I can set the schedule for this task. In effect, this becomes the “order” I mentioned a minute ago. I’m not showing that screen here, but simply clicking the “Change” button shows a pretty easy-to-understand screen that has what you need on it. Even though I’m not showing that screen, it’s the mix of schedules and separate Maintenance Plans for each database or situation that makes the Wizard useful — not in accepting every choice without understanding them.

You may notice that in my screens I’m not selecting a schedule at all. At the end of this process, SQL Server makes two general items — an SSIS Package with these steps, and a SQL Server Agent Job to run them on a schedule. I pick “Manual” here and then work with Transact-SQL statements to run the Agent Jobs individually, when they are needed. That’s how I get around the “run everything at once” problem. I let the graphical tool handle the heavy-lifting, and I just run them when I want. If you’re new to SQL Server, it’s probably easier to work with the schedules, however.

After pressing Next, I get this screen.

Here I’m selecting the Index maintenance, and it has the same choices as before — the database(s) I want to work with and the schedule. There is a “compact large objects” setting here that I also choose. I click Next to move to the next step.

In this screen I’ll select the cleanup for the history of all these steps. The history is stored in multiple places, but this is really dealing with the text reports that the system makes that I need to review each day. Since I do review them every day, I remove anything older than a day. I only do that because I have a separate system backup in Windows Server that backs up the hard drive to tape — meaning I can get older reports whenever I want. If you don’t have that process, make sure you set this interval long enough to where you can review the reports. I’ll show you where those land in a moment. From here I press Next to bring up this screen.

This screen sets the Full Backups for the databases I chose. I’m sending mine to disk, and I like to create a directory for each of those backups. You can also verify the backups, that is, check to make sure they are physically sound, but it does add time and resources to the process. I leave the rest of the settings at the defaults and press Next to continue.

This is a screen you need to pay special attention to. What it does is to delete the older backups. Once again, I’m backing up to disk, and then the Windows backup picks up those files each night. If you do this, make sure that the Windows tape backup runs before this task!

Also, ensure that the directory is what you want. With my choice, the cleanup task will search the entire directory (and below) and remove older files. If I’m mixing plans that have different backup types and dates, I could (and have) remove databases that I only back up once a week. Sure, at some point they end up on tape, but it’s pretty scary to see all those subdirectories empty out if that wasn’t what you’ve planned. So make sure you check the schedule here, the File age, and the sub-directory. Very important.

From here I press Next to move to this screen.

This sets those report files I’ve mentioned. In this screen I have them going to the default locations, which might not be easy to find or accessible to everyone. If you do change it, perhaps to a share or some other common location, ensure that the Windows Service of the SQL Server Agent and SQL Server has an account that can access those locations or your plan will fail.

If you’ve set up a SQL Server Operator with the Agent system, you can have the system mail you the reports in addition or instead of writing them to a file. If you haven’t set that up, the system will fail the step. Even if you have it mail you the results, I recommend that you make a report as well, just in case.

Pressing Next brings up this screen.

In this final screen you can check to make sure the Wizard will create what you want. You have a “Back” button here to make changes if not. If you do select to go “Back” in this or any other screen, make sure that you check the selections, since some of them are not remembered if you go back to a different screen. Some choices affect others.

Pressing “Finish” here starts the step creation process,

Once the process completes, you can open the Maintenance Plan and review it in the Package format in the Object Browser of SSMS right where you started the Wizard.

As I mentioned, what SQL Server did was not only create an SSIS package (shown above) which are the work to do — it also creates SQL Server Agent Jobs as you can see here.

Using the T-SQL to start the jobs allows me a great deal of flexibility. I can also just change the schedule in the Wizard, or even change the schedule of each step.

So the Wizard isn’t evil. It’s just that, like all Wizards, you should understand what he plans to do that’s important.

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Last Update: November 17, 2020