RSS Reporter for SQL Server

What is it?

 

RSS Reporter for SQL Server is a simple, yet extremely useful, tool that allows SQL Server database administrators to generate standard RSS Feeds containing information regarding SQL Server jobs like the current status of the job, job details, historical status; feeds containing information generated by ad-hoc queries as well as feeds that contain database size and space allocation information.

How does it work? The RSS Reported is installed on a server that is running IIS – any user that has credentials to connect to certain SQL Server instances and view job information can create a profile on the RSS Reporter. The profile for each user contains a list of SQL Server instances, the authentication method, necessary credentials for connecting to each instance, and basic configuration settings. RSS Reporter automatically generates a set of predefined RSS Feeds that are further described in the Feeds section of this help document.

Why RSS Reporter? Aren't there enough tools to help the SQL Server dba do his/her job? Yes, of course there are plenty of tools out there but... let's look at the job feeds for a moment: as any SQL Server DBA knows the best and most commonly used way for monitoring the jobs is the SQL Server email notification. The first challenge one faces is configuring and monitoring the email notification service. Once all is up and running the alerts will start flowing on someone’s mailbox which is great. However, those alerts can get lost, may end up on spam folders and may be delayed or blocked by firewalls, network policies, virus scanning tools etc. Furthermore, accessing the mailbox where alerts are being dumped may not be possible from outside the network and even if that wasn’t the case, digging through a mountain of emails to get the needed information is not very convenient and efficient to say the least.

RSS Reporter for SQL Server addresses all the above pain points and more:

• unlike the email notification service it is very easy to install and configure
• the feeds aggregate information about multiple jobs from different servers
• user can drill down on a job to see the details of the execution
• feeds can be read from any connected device and are always there when you need them
• feeds can be filtered and sorted making it significantly easier and faster to get the information you need

How about ad-hoc query feeds? What are those needed for? Many of you out there have been and still probably are on a position where you are constantly asked to query the database and pull out certain pieces of information for your direct boss or for that big shot in the corner office. Sometimes you have the time and the budget to create a report that you can then provide to those that requested it, but many other times you just run those queries and send the info out on an email. Generating an RSS feed and sending the link to your boss is not only faster but it looks a lot more professional and you don't need to send it every morning!