PowerShell Lessons Learned from Building an Automated SQL Installation and Patch Management Implementation

Presented by: Fany Carolina Vargas, Microsoft Corp., Sr. PFE, SQL Dedicated Support

Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlupdates/

AgendaNot covered in this session: PowerShell how-to and syntax details

Recommend Microsoft Virtual Academy JumpStart videos for this: http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/getting-started-with-powershell-3-0-jump-start

PowerShell: Understanding Why

Using PowerShell for SQL Tasks

Lessons Learned from Automating SQL Deployments

PowerShell: Understanding Why

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User feedback about system management experienceAdmin experience should be consistent– Command line tools are not always consistent in syntax and

behavior– Often requires combination of GUI and command tools– Many of these tools must be downloaded separately from

different places and have various version requirements and pre-requisites

Difficult to interact between tools since most return strings and success/fail error codesVBScript often used for more complex logic, however it does not provide interactive sessions.NET programs often used to tap into needed APIs, but also not interactive session and requires creating Exes/Dlls

History

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Command Line Shell & Object-Oriented Scripting LanguageDesigned for system administratorsBuilt on .NET framework

Built-in commands called “cmdlets” which may accept object parameters

Verb-Noun naming conventionCan return objects back to the shell for additional manipulationHave a consistent syntax (and many common parameters)

Allows direct interaction and manipulation of .NET objects (like a .NET program)

PowerShell Capabilities

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Allows interactive commands and easy interaction with other executables (like a shell)Provides consistent navigation of various data stores (get-PSProvider, get-PSDRIVE)– Registry, SQL,File System can be enumerated via DIR,CD

commandsExtensible interface

Can load providers via import-moduleIntegrated with most Microsoft products (SQL,Hyper-V,Exhange, System Center Suite, SharePoint,etc)Integrated into Windows for local and remote management

Key for Windows Server Core environmentsCommon management framework

PowerShell Capabilities

Using PowerShell for SQL Tasks

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SQL2008SQLPS.exe: limited shell, not all OS functionality

SQL 2012 and higherNo longer just a mini-shell. You can instead import SQL modules for access to pre-packaged SQL cmdlets Import-module SQLPS – This loads all SQL SMO classes, cmdlets and assemblies– Advanced users could optionally choose to import only needed

assemblies (via .NET assembly load capabilities)

SQL PowerShell Environment

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Accessing “start PowerShell” option within via management studio starts “Program Files(x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\sqlps.exe”Sqlps always loads base pre-requisite powershell version for the SQL instance– SQL 2012 and SQL 2014 loads PowerShell 2.0 (can verify via

get-host or $PSVersionTable)– https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc280450(v=sql.12

0).aspx

SQL PowerShell Environment

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GeneralPSDrives: Allow object enumeration similar to file system– Get-PSDRIVEDiscovery– Get-Help: learn how to use

a commandlet– Get-Command: to find

commands– Get-Member: enumerate

properties and methods of an object

Quick Concepts and CmdletsPipelines– Series of commands

connected by the pipeline operator “|”Each command sends its results to the next command in the pipelineExample: Get-Process notepad | stop-Process

SQLInvoke-SQLCmd invoke-PolicyEvaluation (PBM)

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Bridge gap between SQL and objects external to SQL instanceCollect inventory details about other services, service accounts, server info, instance infoSmart Backup/Restore scripts– Check for old files : get-childitem

\\Server1\share1\ServerName\*.bak | where-object { $_.LastWriteTime -ge (Get-Date).AddDays(-10) } | Select name, LastWriteTime

– Tie drive space and file age logic into your backup scriptsEnumerate and assign mount point permissions

When to use PowerShell for SQL Tasks

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Tie into Active Directory (example find + collect AD user properties for a SQL user and import details into a SQLtable)Tie in .NET objects to SQL objects easily– Example generate random password for a new SQLlogin– [Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName(”System.Web” )

[System.Web.Security.Membership]::GeneratePassword(…….)Tie PBM xml files + PBM cmdlets for central Policy Based Management evaluationAutomate SQL deployments– Write upgrade/Install scripts with logic to configure service

accounts, folder permissions– Use PowerShell remoting capabilities for remote SQL

deployments

When to use PowerShell for SQL Tasks

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Always On Availability Groups setupExtract cluster properties and IP addresses, feed that into configuration scripts

Monitoring and AuditingParse SQL errorlogUtilize WMI commandlets for server management– get-wmiobject Win32_QuickFixEngineering | findstr KB12345

Allow SQL agent jobs to execute complex logicUse PowerShell subsystem (be aware this is the more limited PowerShell environment)

When to use PowerShell for SQL Tasks

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Make use of other pre-packaged APIs, extensions, and cmdletsExample: codeplex.com has various powershell extensions for SQLUse SMO to script SQL objects

Manipulate object properties directly and at a granular levelExample: Instead of simply listing indexes, can extract and manipulate each index object directlyCan minimize amount of code neededWork with variables more easily(remove the need for dynamic building of T-SQL statements)

Utilize PowerShell remoting and parallelism capabilities (Jobs/Workflows)

When to use PowerShell for SQL Tasks

Lessons Learned from Automating SQL Deployments

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PowerShell to script SQL installations and configurationCall into pre-existing T-SQL scripts via invoke-sqlcmdMake use of command line SQL setup options, configuration files, custom XML configuration files

System Center suiteOrchestrator to create run-books and workflowsVirtual Machine Manager to configure VMs

Deployment Tools Used

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Create scripts which can run locally, and then create a parent script for remoting.

Pros: – Easier administration and troubleshooting (can run logic locally if

needed)– Easier per server transactional processingCons: – Additional complexity when passing variables to child scripts +

all commands must be able to run from remote servers as well.– Error prone if PowerShell versions are not consistent across

servers– Remote server needs to be able to execute the exact command

(versus the –ComputerName option which may translate nicely to a different remote command)

Lessons Learned

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Beware of possible one-at-a-time processing with pipelinesget-process | get-member != get-member -inputobject (get-process)

If script requires access to registry, make sure proper bitness of powershell.exe is being used, otherwise you will incorrectly access 32-bit registry keys

$osObj=get-wmiobject -Class Win32_Processor$constOSArchitecture =$osObj.Architecture#if running 32 bit powershell, but OS is 64 bitif($env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE -eq "x86" -and ( -not ($constOSArchitecture -eq 0) ) ){

Write-host("Running 32-bit powershell in 64-bit OS. Script cannot continue. Please restart powershell in 64-bit mode.")}

Lessons Learned

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Remember that while writing PowerShell scripts is very similar to .NET programming, it is also a shell and pipeline buffer is being built dynamically

Problem may be specific to how data is passed to the shell– Example: Issue with different output formatting on older

versions of PowerShell

Lessons Learned

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For easier administration:Store and execute scripts centrally (UNC share)Place script output centrally (UNC share)

Use latest version of PowerShell on central management serverEstablish a standard PowerShell version within your environmentDocument the required minimum PowerShell version

If script uses newer constructs, specify minimum version and indicate why that is the minimum required version in a comment:#requires -Version 2.0#requires -Version 3.0

Lessons Learned

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Running scripts from UNC share remotely requires PowerShell impersonation (access denied error otherwise)

Client needs to specify list of machines which can delegate its credentials

Enable-WSManCredSSP -role client -DelegateComputer $servernameArr

Server specifies it intends to delegate (this requires elevation)Enable-WSManCredSSP -role server –Force (on the server itself)-or-Connect-WSMan $svrSet-Item WSMan:\$svr\Service\Auth\CredSSP -Value $truehttp://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2012/11/14/enable-powershell-quot-second-hop-quot-functionality-with-credssp.aspx

Lessons Learned

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Prompt for passwords instead of storing within INI filesCollect password via read-host AsSecureString and SecureStringToBSTR

Internet downloaded files must be unblockedUse commandlet: unblock-file

For W2012 or higher Use Mount-DiskImage to easily mount ISO files

Lessons Learned

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Automating SSDT and SSDT-BI installationBoth are separate from SQL installation and require different paramsSSDT-BI command line install not well documented yet

http://blogs.technet.com/b/ilikesql_by_dandyman/archive/2013/04/17/automating-the-installation-of-my-bi-demo-platform-with-data-explorer-geoflow-visual-studio-2012-bi-projects-and-database-projects-sql-server-2012-sp1-cu3.aspx SSDTBI_x86_ENU.exe /ACTION=INSTALL /FEATURES=SSDTBI,SNAC_SDK /Q /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS

Lessons Learned

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SSDT (Visual Studio) command line install not documented (by design)

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/759185/missing-documentation-on-admindeployment-xml

Passing Variables to Invoke-Command script blocks can be trickyInvoke-Command -Session $s1 -ScriptBlock{param($arg2) &"\\Share1\scrip1.ps1" $arg2} -ArgumentList $arg1

Lessons Learned

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Make use of classes (available in PowerShell 2.0 +) for cleaner Object Oriented code

$def2= @‘ public class SQLPatch{ public string DisplayName;public string LastUsedSource;public string PackageName;public string Installed;public string LocalPackage; }'@

Add-Type -TypeDefinition $def $SQLPatch = New-Object SQLPatch

Demo: Walkthrough PowerShell Script Snippet

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PowerShell the SQL Server Way http://sqlmag.com/powershell/powershell-sql-server-way

10 Tips for the SQL Server PowerShell Scripter http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2013/05/06/10-tips-for-the-sql-server-powershell-scripter.aspx

Technet Script Center http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scriptcenter/default.aspx

Windows Powershell Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/

Hey, Scripting Guy Blog http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/

Technet Script Center https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scriptcenter/dd742419.aspx

Windows PowerShell Quick Reference https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7097

References