SQL Sentry PowerShell Module

Getting Started

PowerShell Requirements

The following versions of Windows PowerShell are compatible with the SQL Sentry PowerShell module:

• 3.0
• 4.0
• 5.0
• 5.1

The SQL Sentry installation package includes a PowerShell module that can be used to manage your SQL Sentry environment through PowerShell. This topic includes a walkthrough of that functionality.

Importing the module

You'll find the PowerShell module in the SQL Sentry program directory (which varies depending on the installed <Version>):

Versions 2021.8 or later:

C:\Program Files\SolarWinds SQL Sentry\<Version>\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1

Versions prior to 2021.8:

C:\Program Files\SentryOne\<Version>\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1

Import the SQL Sentry PowerShell module by using the Import-Module command. 

Import-Module command example for version 2021.x:

Import-Module "C:\Program Files\SolarWinds SQL Sentry\2021.0\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1"

Import-Module command example for version 19.x:

Import-Module "C:\Program Files\SentryOne\19.0\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1"

Import-Module command example for version 20.x:

Import-Module "C:\Program Files\SentryOne\20.0\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1"

Import-Module Example with version 2020.0

Verify that the module imported correctly by running the Get-Module command. You should see a listing for Intercerve.SentryOne.Powershell. 

Get-Module Example showing the Intercerve.SQLSentry.PowerShell

Available Commands

See the Command Examples section for more information on using available commands.

Advisory Conditions & Configurations

Advisory Conditions

The advisory condition commands use the same logic that is found in the individual import and export features on the SQL Sentry client menu, but they allow for bulk importing and exporting of .condition files.

Configurations

The configuration file is stored in a JSON document and may be edited as needed.

The configuration commands include the following in the import/export:

• Advisory Conditions
• Conditions/Actions
  • Rulesets, Windows, Filters, etc.
• Users and Groups (assigned)
• All Global (All Targets) Settings

Get-Help

Use Get-Help followed by a command to get information about the available commands in the table above. For example, to learn more about Get-Connection:

Get-Help Get-Connection

Get-Help Get-Connection Example

Command Examples

You can get a file of all these command examples from GitHub in the SentryOne PowerShell Module Commands.ps1 file.

Import the SQL Sentry PowerShell Module

<# Import the SQL Sentry PowerShell Module #>
Import-Module "C:\Program Files\SentryOne\2020.0\Intercerve.SQLSentry.Powershell.psd1"

Connect to SQL Sentry Installation

<# Connect to a specific SQL Sentry Installation #>
Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName server.domain.com -DatabaseName SQLSentry

Connect to SQL Sentry Installation with SQL Authentication

<# Connect to a specific SQL Sentry Installation with SQL Authentication #>
Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName server.domain.com -DatabaseName DBname -UseIntegratedSecurity 0 -login username -Password pass1234

Get SQL Sentry Installation Information

<# Get Information about your SQL Sentry Installation #>
Get-SQLSentryConfiguration 

Get SQL Sentry Information for Sites

<# Get Information about the Sites in your SQL Sentry Installation -use parameters to find information for a specific site #>
Get-Site 

Get SQL Sentry Information for Instances

<# Get Information about the Connections (Instances) in your SQL Sentry Installation -use parameters to find information for a specific connection #>
Get-Connection 

Get SQL Sentry Information for Targets

<# Get Information about the Computers (Targets) in your SQL Sentry Installation -use parameters to find information for a specific connection #>
Get-Computer 

Get SQL Sentry Information for Specific Target

<# Get Information about the Connections in your SQL Sentry Installation -use parameters to find information for a specific connection #>
Get-Connection 

Register a Target (Full Access)

<# Register Computers (Targets), so that they can be watched in your environment #>
Register-Computer -ComputerType Windows -Name server.domain.com -AccessLevel Full 

Register a Target (Limited Access)

<# Register Computers (Targets), so that they can be watched in your environment #>
Register-Computer -ComputerType Windows -Name server.domain.com -AccessLevel Limited 

Register a Target (non Windows e.g., Azure SQL DB)

<# Register a Target that cannot utilize Windows Authentication (e.g., Azure SQL Database) #>
Register-Computer -ComputerType AzureSqlDatabase -Name example.database.windows.net -DatabaseName dbName -Login username -Password password -AccessLevel Full -UseIntegratedSecurity 0 -AllowAzureRemoteObjectInstallation $true | Invoke-WatchComputer

Register a Target (VMware)

<# Register VMware (Targets), so that they can be watched in your environment #>
Register-Computer -ComputerType VMware -Name VMHostName.domain.com -AccessLevel Full

Register Instance (SSAS)

<# Register Connections (Instances), so that they can be watched in your environment #>
Register-Connection -ConnectionType SqlServerAnalysisServices -Name server.domain.com 

Register Instance (SQL Server)

<# Register Connections (Instances), so that they can be watched in your environment #>
Register-Connection -ConnectionType SqlServer -Name server.domain.com 

Watch a Windows Target

<# Watch Windows Computer (Target) with SQL Sentry | -Pipe in the Computer #>
Get-Computer -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerComputerType Windows | Invoke-WatchComputer 

Watch a Hyper-V Host Target

<# Watch Hyper-V Host (Target) with SQL Sentry (core-based licensing) | -Pipe in the Computer #>
Get-Computer -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerComputerType Windows | Invoke-WatchComputer -LicenseMode CoreBased 

Watch a SQL Server Target

<# Watch SQLServer Connection (Instance) with SQL Sentry | -Pipe in the Connection #>
Get-Connection -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerConnectionType SqlServer | Invoke-WatchConnection 

Watch a SSAS Target

<# Watch SSAS Connection (Instance) with SQL Sentry | -Pipe in the Connection #>
Get-Connection -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerConnectionType SqlServerAnalysisServices | Invoke-WatchConnection 

Unwatch Target

<# Unwatch Windows computer (Target) #>
Get-Computer -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerComputerType Windows | Invoke-UnwatchComputer

Unwatch SSAS Connection

<# Unwatch SSAS connection #>
Get-Connection -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerConnectionType SqlServerAnalysisServices | Invoke-UnwatchConnection

Unwatch SQL Server Connection

<# Unwatch SQLServer connection #>
Get-Connection -Name server.domain.com -NamedServerConnectionType SqlServer| Invoke-UnwatchConnection

User cmdlets

<# User cmdlets #>

Add a User

<# Add a user #>
Register-User -FirstName Test -LastName User -Email tuser@test.net -PagerAddress tuser@testPager.net -Description Tester -Login domain\username

View a User by First Name

<# View a user by first name #>
Get-User -FirstName Test

View a User by Name

<# View a user by name #>
Get-User -Name "Test User"

Disable a User by Name

<# Disable a user by name #>
Disable-User -Name "Test User"

Enable a User by Name

<# Enable a user by name #>
Enable-User -Name "Test User"

Remove a User by Name

<# Remove a user by name #>
Unregister-User -Name "Test User"

Group cmdlets

<# Group cmdlets #>

Create a New Group

<# Create a new group #>
Register-Group -Name "Test Group" -Description "A Group" -Login Domain\TestGroup

View Group Information

<# View group information #>
Get-Group -Name "Test Group"

Disable a Group

<# Disable a group #>
Disable-Group -Name "Test Group"

Enable a Group

<# Enable a group #>
Enable-Group -Name "Test Group"

Remove a Group

<# Remove a group #>
Unregister-Group -Name "Test Group"

User and Group cmdlets

<# User = and - to the Group cmdlets #>

Add a User to a Group

<# Add a user to a group #>
Get-User -Name "Test User" | Add-GroupUser -GroupName "Test Group" 

Remove a User From a Group

<# Remove a user from a group #>
Get-User -Name "Test User" | Remove-GroupUser -GroupName "Test Group"

PowerShell Sample Scripts

The following code samples are available in the sentryone-samples / powershell repository on GitHub.

• Watch all targets listed in text file.ps1
• Watch all targets listed in text file (Azure).ps1

Export/Import/Remove Advisory Conditions

$exportdirectory = "C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\conditions"
 $count = 0
foreach ($ac in Export-AdvisoryCondition)
{    
    $acj = $ac | ConvertFrom-Json
    # Use .* for all ACs; separate multiple tags with vertical pipes (|).
    $tags = '.*'
    if ($acj.Tags -match $tags)
    {
        # Replace invalid file name chars
        $filename = ($acj.Name -replace '[/<>]', '_') + ".condition"
        $ac | Out-File -FilePath "$exportdirectory\$filename"
        Write-Host "Exported: $filename"
        $count++
    } 
}
Write-Host "$count conditions exported." 

Import-AdvisoryCondition $exportdirectory # import all ACs
Import-AdvisoryCondition "$exportdirectory\High Compiles.condition"
Import-AdvisoryCondition -Path $exportdirectory -SearchPattern "Service Broker*“

Remove-AdvisoryCondition -Name "High Compiles"
Remove-AdvisoryCondition -Name "Service Broker%"
Remove-AdvisoryCondition -Name "%" # will not cascade delete dependent ACs

Export/Import Configurations

Using a configuration file

# Using config file
$exportdirectory = "C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\conditions"

Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName "server-name-us" -DatabaseName "SQLSentry-US"
Export-EnvironmentConfiguration -ExcludeAdvisoryConditions | Out-File -FilePath "$exportdirectory\env-config.json"
Disconnect-SQLSentry

Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName "server-name-uk" -DatabaseName "SQLSentry-UK"
Import-EnvironmentConfiguration -Path "$exportdirectory\env-config.json"
Disconnect-SQLSentry

Using a variable

# Using variable
Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName "server-name-us" -DatabaseName "SQLSentry-US"
$s1config = Export-EnvironmentConfiguration
Disconnect-SQLSentry

Connect-SQLSentry -ServerName "server-name-uk" -DatabaseName "SQLSentry-UK"
Import-EnvironmentConfiguration -Config $s1config
Disconnect-SQLSentry