Introducing the SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA)…

Some of you may have noticed I haven’t posted a blog in some time. Well, I’ve been a bit busy working behind the scenes on a new tool we released this weekend, the SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA). You may remember that I announced this new tool back in April at the PASS Europe Summit on this post.

This past week final development and testing were completed on the tool and it is now available for you to download at the following location:

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=0fd439d7-4bff-4df7-a52f-9a1be8725591

I will spend more time this summer posting a series of blogs on various aspects of the tool, the rules contained in it, and possible usages and benefits for you. While the tool was developed and produced by the product team, the CSS team was a major part of the project. The CSS SQL Escalation team provided much of the rule logic, design, and guidance about how the BPA tool would scan for known configuration settings or look for critical events to alert DBAs. In a way, running this tool is like getting CSS SQL Escalation advice without having to call CSS.

For now let me give you a few facts to help you get started:

  • Even though called SQL Server 2008 R2 BPA, it supports both SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2
  • Supports Windows Server 2003, Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows 7
  • Requires you to first install the Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer 2.0 and Powershell 2.0 (only on WS03, Vista, or WS08).
  • Comes with about 130 rules including applicable rules from SQL Server 2005 BPA ported to the new tool plus many other new rules covering Engine, Security, Replication, Reporting Services, Analysis Services, Setup (Servicing), and SSIS.
  • Supports remote scanning through MBCA or through remote powershell (the help file explains all of this)

We have also created a series of KB articles that covers every rule in the tool with reference information in the article pointing back to the rule. The articles can be found as you use the help file or click on the More Information Link in the tool results.

However, you can also find our articles with some keyword searching on the internet:

Go to https://support.microsoft.com and search on “SQL Server 2008 R2 BPA”. You will find a bunch of results like this:

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Here is an example of one of these articles that talks about a rule to check for a recent “clean” CHECKDB:

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I invite you to download our new BPA tool and give it a spin. While formal feedback is done through Microsoft Connect (Use the “Send Feedback” link in the help file), I’m happy to take on comments and questions on this blog post once you download and try it out.

 

Thank you,

Bob Ward, Microsoft