sql-server-samples/samples/manage/sql-assessment-api/docs/How-To/QuickStart.md

SQL Assessment API Quick Start Guide

Assess your SQL Server configuration in 2 simple steps.

1. Setup

Install the PowerShell SqlServer module using the following command.

Install-Module -Name SqlServer -AllowClobber

2. Invoke assessment

To invoke an assessment against a local SQL Server instance, run the following command.

Get-SqlInstance -ServerInstance 'localhost' | Invoke-SqlAssessment

Sample result:

PS:> Get-SqlInstance -ServerInstance localhost | Invoke-SqlAssessment

   TargetPath: Server[@Name='LOCAL']

Sev. Message                                                            Check ID              Origin               
---- -------                                                            --------              ------               
Info Enable trace flag 834 to use large-page allocations to improve     TF834                 Microsoft Ruleset 0.1.202
     analytical and data warehousing workloads.                                                                         
Low  Detected deprecated or discontinued feature uses: String literals  DeprecatedFeatures    Microsoft Ruleset 0.1.202
     as column aliases, syscolumns, sysusers, SET FMTONLY ON, XP_API,                                                   
     Table hint without WITH, More than two-part column name. We                                                        
     recommend to replace them with features actual for SQL Server                                                      
     version 14.0.1000.                                                                                      
Medi Amount of single use plans in cache is high (100%). Consider       PlansUseRatio         Microsoft Ruleset 0.1.202
     enabling the Optimize for ad hoc workloads setting on heavy OLTP                                                   
     ad-hoc workloads to conserve resources.
...

In the results, you will see that each rule has some properties (not the full list):

• Severity (info, low, medium, high)
• Message property explains the recommendation but if you need more info, there is a HelpLink property that points at documentation on the subject.
• Origin shows which ruleset and version the recommendation is coming from

See ruleset.json for a full list of rules and properties.

If you want to get recommendations for all databases on the local instance, run this command.

Get-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance 'localhost' | Invoke-SqlAssessment

Learn more about SQL Assessment API

To learn more about the SQL Assessment API such as customizing and extending rulesets, saving results to a table, etc., visit:

• Docs online page for SQL Assessment API PowerShell cmdlets: https://docs.microsoft.com/sql/sql-assessment-api/sql-assessment-api-overview
• SQL Assessment User Guide
• SQL Assessment API Tutorial notebook: SQLAssessmentAPITutorialNotebook.ipynb
• Azure Data Studio extension: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/sql-server/released-sql-server-assessment-extension-for-azure-data-studio/ba-p/1470603