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Finding SQL Server Instances With dbatools

Chrissy LeMaire shows off a very helpful command in dbatools:

Nearly every time I inherit a SQL Server environment, I’m only given a partial list of SQL Servers that exist on the network. It’s my usual routine to get permission to sniff the network then run about five different programs including Idera’s SQL Discovery and Microsoft’s SQL Server Assessment and Planning Toolkit.

I always thought it’d be cool to have one comprehensive PowerShell command that could do the work of all the above and was ecstatic to see NetSPI’s Scott Sutherland had written a few commands to do just that in his awesome PowerShell module PowerUpSQL.

When I saw Scott’s multi-pronged approach (including some UDP magic 🎩), I asked if he’d be interested in contributing to dbatools and he said yes! He submitted a gorgeous mock-up and I was so excited. Then came the PR, complete with great documentation and multithreading.

Click through for a lot more information on the command.