Sys.databases on SQL Server Scripts

SQL Server Backup History: Duration and Size Report

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Query Backup Duration and File Size from SQL Server History

This script queries SQL Server's msdb backup history to report the backup type, start and finish time, duration in minutes, and file size in both megabytes and gigabytes for every backup across all user databases on the server.

Purpose and Overview

Knowing that a backup completed is only part of the picture. DBAs also need to understand how long each backup took and how large the resulting files are. A backup that used to finish in ten minutes now taking an hour is worth investigating. A backup file that is half its usual size may indicate a failed or partial operation. This script, adapted from the DBA-Scripts collection by Bulent Gucuk, joins sys.databases with msdb.dbo.backupset and msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily to surface both duration and size in a single result set. Running it regularly gives you a baseline so that anomalies are easy to spot.

SQL Server Backup Status Report: All Databases

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Check SQL Server Backup Age Across All Databases

This script queries the SQL Server backup history catalog to report the most recent full, differential, and transaction log backup for every database, including how many hours and minutes ago each backup completed.

Purpose and Overview

Database backups are your last line of defense against data loss. Knowing exactly when each database was last backed up — and how old that backup is right now — is a fundamental DBA responsibility. This script, originally written by Tim Ford, joins master.sys.databases with the msdb backup history tables to produce a single report covering all backup types for all databases. It shows the backup finish time, the physical backup file path, and elapsed time in both hours and minutes, making it straightforward to spot any database that has missed a scheduled backup.

SQL Server Point-in-Time Restore with STOPAT

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recover a SQL Server Database to a Specific Point in Time

SQL Server's RESTORE LOG ... WITH STOPAT lets you roll a database back to any exact moment covered by your backup chain. This guide walks through querying backup history in msdb, executing the restore sequence, and verifying the result.

Purpose and Overview

Data loss incidents — accidental deletes, bad deployments, runaway updates — rarely happen at a convenient backup boundary. Point-in-time restore solves this by replaying transaction logs only up to a target timestamp, leaving the database in a consistent state as of that moment.

SQL Server Database Size Report for All Databases

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Report Database Size in MB and GB for All SQL Server Databases

This script queries sys.master_files and sys.databases to report the total allocated size in megabytes and gigabytes for every user database on the SQL Server instance, sorted by largest database first.

Purpose and Overview

Knowing how large each database is — and tracking how that size changes over time — is a core part of SQL Server capacity planning. Running out of disk space is one of the most disruptive events a DBA can face: it halts log backups, prevents transactions from committing, and can take databases offline. This script, adapted from the DBA-Scripts collection by Bulent Gucuk, reads allocated file sizes from sys.master_files and joins to sys.databases to produce a single server-wide size report. It runs from the master database, requires no cross-database queries, and takes milliseconds to execute — making it safe to run at any time, including during a production incident.

SQL Server Blocking Detection: Find Blocked Sessions

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Blocking in SQL Server occurs when one session holds a lock that another session needs, causing the second session to wait. This T-SQL script queries the dynamic management views to show all currently blocked sessions, the blocking session, wait type, wait duration, and the SQL text involved.

Purpose and Overview

When users report slow queries or application timeouts, blocking is a common cause. SQL Server does not alert you to blocking by default — you must query the DMVs to see what is happening in real time.

Generate DBCC SHOWCONTIG Commands for All SQL Server Tables

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Generate DBCC SHOWCONTIG Commands for All User Tables in SQL Server

Database administrators frequently need to monitor table and index fragmentation to maintain optimal database performance. This SQL Server script provides an efficient way to generate DBCC SHOWCONTIG commands for all user tables in your database automatically.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this script is to dynamically generate DBCC SHOWCONTIG commands for every user table in a SQL Server database. This eliminates the need to manually write individual commands for each table, saving time and ensuring comprehensive fragmentation analysis across all tables.