Extracting User Defined Assemblies in SQL Server with PowerShell

Learn how to extract user-defined assemblies from SQL Server using PowerShell, overcoming common issues.
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How to Extract User Defined Assemblies in SQL Server Using PowerShell

When managing SQL Server, administrators often need to extract various data, including assemblies. However, a common challenge arises when trying to query user-defined assemblies through PowerShell. While executing the same SQL query in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) works flawlessly, PowerShell might only return system-defined assemblies. Let's dive into understanding this issue and how to effectively resolve it.

The Problem: Missing User Defined Assemblies in PowerShell

In a typical scenario, when executing the following SQL query in SSMS, administrators can easily retrieve a list of both system and user-defined assemblies:

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From SSMS, the output might look like this:

NamePermission_Set_DescMicrosoft.SqlServer.TypesUNSAFE_ACCESSStairwayToSQLCLR-02-ExampleSAFE_ACCESSHowever, when this query is executed via PowerShell using the Invoke-SQLCMD command, the result only lists system-defined assemblies:

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The PowerShell output is as follows:

NamePermission_Set_DescMicrosoft.SqlServer.TypesUNSAFE_ACCESSThis discrepancy raises the question: Why are user-defined assemblies missing when querying from PowerShell? The answer lies in how assemblies are defined at the database level rather than at the server level.

The Solution: Querying Across All Databases

To retrieve user-defined assemblies, you need to query all databases individually. This can be accomplished by iterating through each database and executing the query for assemblies located within it. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Create a Dynamic SQL Query

The first step involves creating a dynamic SQL query that fetches the assemblies from all databases. Here’s how that looks:

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Step 2: Execute the Query in PowerShell

Once you have your SQL query ready, you can use PowerShell to execute it. Here’s an example of how to adapt your PowerShell command:

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What You Can Expect

After running the above script, you should see an output that includes user-defined assemblies along with their corresponding databases and permission sets. This allows for a comprehensive view of all assemblies across your SQL Server instance.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully retrieve user-defined assemblies from your SQL Server using PowerShell. This approach of querying each database individually not only resolves the initial problem but also enhances your automation capabilities in SQL Server administration. Always remember that effective querying might require iterations, especially when dealing with multiple databases.

For any SQL Server administrator, having the knowledge to extract user-defined assemblies is an important tool in your toolkit. Happy querying!