Database Management
QGrip does not only support the basic Backup & Restore functionality that is needed to manage a SQL Server environment. Other necessary features and controls that most organisations need are available. QGrip monitors its own jobs, the completeness and consistency of its own CMDB and will report Errors and Warnings. It also monitors free space of datafiles, backup shares and disks, including a forecast of within how many days the object will run out-of-space. The System Usage on the SQL Server Instances is registered and used as part of the Charges, Split Costs module that can be used divide the cost fairly amongst the Applications using SQL Server as back-end.
QGrip Features
- CMDB SQL & Application, better grip with overview and details of your SQL Server landscape in combination with your applications in QGrip-UI. By adding Contacts to your application, you know who to reach out to in case of issues or planned downtime. Export the QGrip CMDB (plugin) and load it into your Organisation CMDB.
- Backup & Maintenance, database and log backup, CheckDB and Optimise indexes and statistics. Create Database Group Schedules for databases that need special treatment. Define Retry Actions for Failed Jobs, exclude database and indexes from regular maintenance when needed.
- Restore & Clone Database, restore, clone and import databases, migrate databases with minimal application downtime. Define a File Transfer Method to enable cross AD-Domain clones/migrations to fully automate.
- Standards & Naming Convention, define template databases, logins and database roles to be used when creating new objects.
- Create & Drop Database/Login, create databases, logins and database users using predefined standards and naming conventions.
- Encryption, QGrip can be used to manage encryption objects like symmetric keys and certificates. QGrip also makes it really easy to administer databases protected by TDE (Transparent Data Encryption). Backup of the objects and Passwords will be stored in QGrip.
- Disaster Scripts, use to restore (part of) an SQL Server Instance. The scripts are based on the information in the QGrip database and depend on the Discover job for creating Databases, Logins and Database Users. The generated restore script will be until the latest backup file available.
- Password Safe & Connect Info, password safe for all SQL Server authenticated logins, regularly validated with inconsistency warnings.
- System Usage, reports of resources (connects, CPU, IO and memory) used by Login/Application per block of 10 minutes, hour and day.
- Charges, Split Costs, put price tags on the different Infra components (Servers, Instances, etc.), define how the costs should be split and let Applications pay their fair share.
- Teams & Authorisation, set up authorisation for QGrip-Users and define which Job/Application/Environment combination they are allowed to perform.
- AppAPI Call, this plugin can be used by teams/projects when backup of a database is needed before an automated process, like installing software in a database from a pipeline. If the installation fails, the backup can be restored from the same automated process.
- Maintenance Mode, parts of QGrip and Infra can be set in maintenance mode to prevent that jobs are started during patching etc. Maintenance mode can scheduled by using the Periodic Downtime for automated monthly patching and Periodic Uptime for servers that are scheduled put offline.
- SQL Server Always on Clusters, QGrip does not only support SQL Server Always On Clusters, it makes it easier to manage and monitors logins across the cluster (Presence, SID, Password) and reports inconsistencies and if the database sync on secondaries is not working.
- Monitoring, monitoring and reporting of failed and long running jobs, instances and backup shares that are not accessible, free space (with forecast), failovers, inconsistencies, missing and invalid passwords, backup LSN chain, etc. Scan the Errorlog on the SQL Server Instances with defined patterns.
- Help Prepare Infra, fill in some variables for new Instance, Backup Share or QGrip Server and QGrip will show you which firewalls need to be open and which accounts need to be created, including create scripts.
- Accessibility, When adding new objects to QGrip (Instance, Backup Share, Listeners, File Transfer method), QGrip automatically checks that components can connects as designed. Rerun from QGrip-UI in case of problems with a component.
- Import/Export, flexible Export/Import functionality to Export/Import files with Instances, Passwords and Applications.
- Trace & Audit Reports, QGrip keeps track of activities in trace tables used for audit reports.
- Access Reports, reports of who has access to Application, Instance, Database and with which privileges.
- SQL Licenses report, SQL Server License compliance reports based on core-based license in flat format or table format and enables you to divide the costs to the Applications.
- Install SQL Server Instance, plugin for installing new SQL Server Instances from a template within a few minutes. Define and automatically run hardening scripts. New instance will be added to QGrip with needed authorisation on Backup Shares etc.
- Other Reports
- Backup Reports: Proof for the Security Team
- Infra-Misc: Application Contacts, All Servers, Connecting Clients, QGrip Identity Columns
- Infra Inconsistencies: Databases, Logins, Database Users
- Decommissioned: SQL Server/QGrip Components and Applications deleted from QGrip by who and when.