Retrieve information about the database

Retrieve a List of all Stored Procedures

The following queries will return a list of all Stored Procedures in the database, with basic information about each Stored Procedure:

SELECT *
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.ROUTINES
WHERE ROUTINE_TYPE = 'PROCEDURE'

The ROUTINE_NAME, ROUTINE_SCHEMA and ROUTINE_DEFINITION columns are generally the most useful.

SELECT *
FROM sys.objects
WHERE type = 'P'

SELECT *
FROM sys.procedures

Note that this version has an advantage over selecting from sys.objects since it includes the additional columns is_auto_executed, is_execution_replicated, is_repl_serializable, and skips_repl_constraints.

SELECT *
FROM sysobjects
WHERE type = 'P'

Note that the output contains many columns that will never relate to a stored procedure.

The next set of queries will return all Stored Procedures in the database that include the string ‘SearchTerm’:

SELECT o.name
FROM syscomments c
INNER JOIN sysobjects o
    ON c.id=o.id
WHERE o.xtype = 'P'
    AND c.TEXT LIKE '%SearchTerm%'

SELECT p.name
FROM sys.sql_modules AS m
INNER JOIN sys.procedures AS p
    ON m.object_id = p.object_id
WHERE definition LIKE '%SearchTerm%'

Get the list of all databases on a server

Method 1: Below query will be applicable for SQL Server 2000+ version (Contains 12 columns)

SELECT * FROM dbo.sysdatabases

Method 2: Below query extract information about databases with more informations (ex: State, Isolation, recovery model etc.)

Note: This is a catalog view and will be available SQL SERVER 2005+ versions

SELECT * FROM sys.databases

Method 3: To see just database names you can use undocumented sp_MSForEachDB

EXEC sp_MSForEachDB 'SELECT ''?'' AS DatabaseName'

Method 4: Below SP will help you to provide database size along with databases name , owner, status etc. on the server

EXEC sp_helpdb

Method 5 Similarly, below stored procedure will give database name, database size and Remarks

EXEC sp_databases

Count the Number of Tables in a Database

This query will return the number of tables in the specified database.

USE YourDatabaseName
SELECT COUNT(*) from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'

Following is another way this can be done for all user tables with SQL Server 2008+. The reference is here.

SELECT COUNT(*) FROM sys.tables

Database Files

Display all data files for all databases with size and growth info

SELECT  d.name AS 'Database',
        d.database_id,
        SF.fileid,
        SF.name AS 'LogicalFileName',
        CASE SF.status & 0x100000
            WHEN 1048576 THEN 'Percentage'
            WHEN 0 THEN 'MB'
        END AS 'FileGrowthOption',
        Growth AS GrowthUnit,
        ROUND(((CAST(Size AS FLOAT)*8)/1024)/1024,2) [SizeGB], -- Convert 8k pages to GB
        Maxsize,
        filename AS PhysicalFileName

FROM    Master.SYS.SYSALTFILES SF
Join    Master.SYS.Databases d on sf.fileid = d.database_id

Order by d.name

Determine a Windows Login’s Permission Path

This will show the user type and permission path (which windows group the user is getting its permissions from).

xp_logininfo 'DOMAIN\user'

See if Enterprise-specific features are being used

It is sometimes useful to verify that your work on Developer edition hasn’t introduced a dependency on any features restricted to Enterprise edition.

You can do this using the sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features system view, like so:

SELECT * FROM sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features

Against the database itself.

This will list the features being used, if any.

Retrieve Database Options

The following query returns the database options and metadata:

select * from sys.databases WHERE name = 'MyDatabaseName';

Show Size of All Tables in Current Database

SELECT
    s.name + '.' + t.NAME AS TableName,
    SUM(a.used_pages)*8 AS 'TableSizeKB'  --a page in SQL Server is 8kb
FROM sys.tables t
    JOIN sys.schemas s on t.schema_id = s.schema_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.indexes i ON t.OBJECT_ID = i.object_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.partitions p ON i.object_id = p.OBJECT_ID AND i.index_id = p.index_id
    LEFT JOIN sys.allocation_units a ON p.partition_id = a.container_id
GROUP BY
    s.name, t.name
ORDER BY
    --Either sort by name:
    s.name + '.' + t.NAME
    --Or sort largest to smallest:
    --SUM(a.used_pages) desc

Retrieve Tables Containing Known Column

This query will return all COLUMNS and their associated TABLES for a given column name. It is designed to show you what tables (unknown) contain a specified column (known)

SELECT
    c.name AS ColName,
    t.name AS TableName
FROM
    sys.columns c
    JOIN sys.tables t ON c.object_id = t.object_id
WHERE
    c.name LIKE '%MyName%'

Search and Return All Tables and Columns Containing a Specified Column Value

This script, from here and here, will return all Tables and Columns where a specified value exists. This is powerful in finding out where a certain value is in a database. It can be taxing, so it is suggested that it be executed in a backup / test enviroment first.

DECLARE @SearchStr nvarchar(100)
SET @SearchStr = '## YOUR STRING HERE ##'


    -- Copyright © 2002 Narayana Vyas Kondreddi. All rights reserved.
    -- Purpose: To search all columns of all tables for a given search string
    -- Written by: Narayana Vyas Kondreddi
    -- Site: http://vyaskn.tripod.com
    -- Updated and tested by Tim Gaunt
    -- http://www.thesitedoctor.co.uk
    -- http://blogs.thesitedoctor.co.uk/tim/2010/02/19/Search+Every+Table+And+Field+In+A+SQL+Server+Database+Updated.aspx
    -- Tested on: SQL Server 7.0, SQL Server 2000, SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2010
    -- Date modified: 03rd March 2011 19:00 GMT
    CREATE TABLE #Results (ColumnName nvarchar(370), ColumnValue nvarchar(3630))

    SET NOCOUNT ON

    DECLARE @TableName nvarchar(256), @ColumnName nvarchar(128), @SearchStr2 nvarchar(110)
    SET  @TableName = ''
    SET @SearchStr2 = QUOTENAME('%' + @SearchStr + '%','''')

    WHILE @TableName IS NOT NULL

    BEGIN
        SET @ColumnName = ''
        SET @TableName =
        (
            SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME))
            FROM     INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
            WHERE         TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
                AND    QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) > @TableName
                AND    OBJECTPROPERTY(
                        OBJECT_ID(
                            QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME)
                             ), 'IsMSShipped'
                               ) = 0
        )

        WHILE (@TableName IS NOT NULL) AND (@ColumnName IS NOT NULL)

        BEGIN
            SET @ColumnName =
            (
                SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME))
                FROM     INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
                WHERE         TABLE_SCHEMA    = PARSENAME(@TableName, 2)
                    AND    TABLE_NAME    = PARSENAME(@TableName, 1)
                    AND    DATA_TYPE IN ('char', 'varchar', 'nchar', 'nvarchar', 'int', 'decimal')
                    AND    QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME) > @ColumnName
            )

            IF @ColumnName IS NOT NULL

            BEGIN
                INSERT INTO #Results
                EXEC
                (
                    'SELECT ''' + @TableName + '.' + @ColumnName + ''', LEFT(' + @ColumnName + ', 3630) FROM ' + @TableName + ' (NOLOCK) ' +
                    ' WHERE ' + @ColumnName + ' LIKE ' + @SearchStr2
                )
            END
        END
    END

    SELECT ColumnName, ColumnValue FROM #Results

DROP TABLE #Results
- See more at: http://thesitedoctor.co.uk/blog/search-every-table-and-field-in-a-sql-server-database-updated#sthash.bBEqfJVZ.dpuf

Get all schemas, tables, columns and indexes

SELECT
    s.name AS [schema],
    t.object_id AS [table_object_id],
    t.name AS [table_name],
    c.column_id,
    c.name AS [column_name],
    i.name AS [index_name],
    i.type_desc AS [index_type]
FROM sys.schemas AS s
INNER JOIN sys.tables AS t
    ON s.schema_id = t.schema_id
INNER JOIN sys.columns AS c
    ON t.object_id = c.object_id
LEFT JOIN sys.index_columns AS ic
    ON c.object_id = ic.object_id and c.column_id = ic.column_id
LEFT JOIN sys.indexes AS i
    ON ic.object_id = i.object_id and ic.index_id = i.index_id
ORDER BY [schema], [table_name], c.column_id;

Return a list of SQL Agent jobs, with schedule information

USE msdb
Go


SELECT dbo.sysjobs.Name AS 'Job Name',
      'Job Enabled' = CASE dbo.sysjobs.Enabled
            WHEN 1 THEN 'Yes'
            WHEN 0 THEN 'No'
      END,
      'Frequency' = CASE dbo.sysschedules.freq_type
            WHEN 1 THEN 'Once'
            WHEN 4 THEN 'Daily'
            WHEN 8 THEN 'Weekly'
            WHEN 16 THEN 'Monthly'
            WHEN 32 THEN 'Monthly relative'
            WHEN 64 THEN 'When SQLServer Agent starts'
      END,
      'Start Date' = CASE active_start_date
            WHEN 0 THEN null
            ELSE
            substring(convert(varchar(15),active_start_date),1,4) + '/' +
            substring(convert(varchar(15),active_start_date),5,2) + '/' +
            substring(convert(varchar(15),active_start_date),7,2)
      END,
      'Start Time' = CASE len(active_start_time)
            WHEN 1 THEN cast('00:00:0' + right(active_start_time,2) as char(8))
            WHEN 2 THEN cast('00:00:' + right(active_start_time,2) as char(8))
            WHEN 3 THEN cast('00:0'
                        + Left(right(active_start_time,3),1)
                        +':' + right(active_start_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 4 THEN cast('00:'
                        + Left(right(active_start_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(active_start_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 5 THEN cast('0'
                        + Left(right(active_start_time,5),1)
                        +':' + Left(right(active_start_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(active_start_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 6 THEN cast(Left(right(active_start_time,6),2)
                        +':' + Left(right(active_start_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(active_start_time,2) as char (8))
      END,

      CASE len(run_duration)
            WHEN 1 THEN cast('00:00:0'
                        + cast(run_duration as char) as char (8))
            WHEN 2 THEN cast('00:00:'
                        + cast(run_duration as char) as char (8))
            WHEN 3 THEN cast('00:0'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,3),1)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 4 THEN cast('00:'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 5 THEN cast('0'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,5),1)
                        +':' + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 6 THEN cast(Left(right(run_duration,6),2)
                        +':' + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
      END as 'Max Duration',
    CASE(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_interval)
            WHEN 0 THEN 'Once'
            ELSE cast('Every '
                        + right(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_interval,2)
                        + ' '
                        +     CASE(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_type)
                                          WHEN 1 THEN 'Once'
                                          WHEN 4 THEN 'Minutes'
                                          WHEN 8 THEN 'Hours'
                                    END as char(16))
    END as 'Subday Frequency'
FROM dbo.sysjobs
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.sysjobschedules
ON dbo.sysjobs.job_id = dbo.sysjobschedules.job_id
INNER JOIN dbo.sysschedules ON dbo.sysjobschedules.schedule_id = dbo.sysschedules.schedule_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN (SELECT job_id, max(run_duration) AS run_duration
            FROM dbo.sysjobhistory
            GROUP BY job_id) Q1
ON dbo.sysjobs.job_id = Q1.job_id
WHERE Next_run_time = 0

UNION

SELECT dbo.sysjobs.Name AS 'Job Name',
      'Job Enabled' = CASE dbo.sysjobs.Enabled
            WHEN 1 THEN 'Yes'
            WHEN 0 THEN 'No'
      END,
      'Frequency' = CASE dbo.sysschedules.freq_type
            WHEN 1 THEN 'Once'
            WHEN 4 THEN 'Daily'
            WHEN 8 THEN 'Weekly'
            WHEN 16 THEN 'Monthly'
            WHEN 32 THEN 'Monthly relative'
            WHEN 64 THEN 'When SQLServer Agent starts'
      END,
      'Start Date' = CASE next_run_date
            WHEN 0 THEN null
            ELSE
            substring(convert(varchar(15),next_run_date),1,4) + '/' +
            substring(convert(varchar(15),next_run_date),5,2) + '/' +
            substring(convert(varchar(15),next_run_date),7,2)
      END,
      'Start Time' = CASE len(next_run_time)
            WHEN 1 THEN cast('00:00:0' + right(next_run_time,2) as char(8))
            WHEN 2 THEN cast('00:00:' + right(next_run_time,2) as char(8))
            WHEN 3 THEN cast('00:0'
                        + Left(right(next_run_time,3),1)
                        +':' + right(next_run_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 4 THEN cast('00:'
                        + Left(right(next_run_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(next_run_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 5 THEN cast('0' + Left(right(next_run_time,5),1)
                        +':' + Left(right(next_run_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(next_run_time,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 6 THEN cast(Left(right(next_run_time,6),2)
                        +':' + Left(right(next_run_time,4),2)
                        +':' + right(next_run_time,2) as char (8))
      END,

      CASE len(run_duration)
            WHEN 1 THEN cast('00:00:0'
                        + cast(run_duration as char) as char (8))
            WHEN 2 THEN cast('00:00:'
                        + cast(run_duration as char) as char (8))
            WHEN 3 THEN cast('00:0'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,3),1)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 4 THEN cast('00:'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 5 THEN cast('0'
                        + Left(right(run_duration,5),1)
                        +':' + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
            WHEN 6 THEN cast(Left(right(run_duration,6),2)
                        +':' + Left(right(run_duration,4),2)
                        +':' + right(run_duration,2) as char (8))
      END as 'Max Duration',
    CASE(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_interval)
            WHEN 0 THEN 'Once'
            ELSE cast('Every '
                        + right(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_interval,2)
                        + ' '
                        +     CASE(dbo.sysschedules.freq_subday_type)
                                          WHEN 1 THEN 'Once'
                                          WHEN 4 THEN 'Minutes'
                                          WHEN 8 THEN 'Hours'
                                    END as char(16))
    END as 'Subday Frequency'
FROM dbo.sysjobs
LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.sysjobschedules ON dbo.sysjobs.job_id = dbo.sysjobschedules.job_id
INNER JOIN dbo.sysschedules ON dbo.sysjobschedules.schedule_id = dbo.sysschedules.schedule_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN (SELECT job_id, max(run_duration) AS run_duration
            FROM dbo.sysjobhistory
            GROUP BY job_id) Q1
ON dbo.sysjobs.job_id = Q1.job_id
WHERE Next_run_time <> 0

ORDER BY [Start Date],[Start Time]

Find every mention of a field in the database

SELECT DISTINCT
 o.name AS Object_Name,o.type_desc
 FROM sys.sql_modules m
    INNER JOIN sys.objects  o ON m.object_id=o.object_id
 WHERE m.definition Like '%myField%'
 ORDER BY 2,1

Will find mentions of myField in SProcs, Views, etc.

Retrieve information on backup and restore operations

To get the list of all backup operations performed on the current database instance:

SELECT sdb.Name AS DatabaseName,
    COALESCE(CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), bus.backup_finish_date, 120),'-') AS LastBackUpDateTime
FROM sys.sysdatabases sdb
    LEFT OUTER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset bus ON bus.database_name = sdb.name
ORDER BY sdb.name, bus.backup_finish_date DESC

To get the list of all restore operations performed on the current database instance:

SELECT
    [d].[name] AS database_name,
    [r].restore_date AS last_restore_date,
    [r].[user_name],
    [bs].[backup_finish_date] AS backup_creation_date,
    [bmf].[physical_device_name] AS [backup_file_used_for_restore]
FROM master.sys.databases [d]
    LEFT OUTER JOIN msdb.dbo.[restorehistory] r ON r.[destination_database_name] = d.Name
    INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset [bs] ON [r].[backup_set_id] = [bs].[backup_set_id]
    INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily bmf ON [bs].[media_set_id] = [bmf].[media_set_id]
ORDER BY [d].[name], [r].restore_date DESC

Remarks

As with other relational database systems, SQL Server exposes metadata about your databases.

This is provided through the ISO Standard INFORMATION_SCHEMA schema, or the SQL Server-specific sys catalog views.