Bill Wunder's DDL Archive Utility

Automating an Archive Operation

The Console Application

The Utility employs an easy to use console interface. Using this interface allows servers to be archived using almost any automated mechanism including

  • the command prompt
  • the Windows AT schedule
  • a SQLAgent CommandExec job step
  • a DTS package
  • an ActiveX script
  • a compiled program
  • xp_cmdshell
  • a batch file (.CMD or .BAT)
  • a desktop shortcut
To access the console interface from a command line or other external application you must call the executable ArchCon.exe located in the application folder of the Archive Utility.

Requirements for using the console interface

The Utility must be properly installed in accordance with the Installation instructions and the SQL Server to be archived must be a License Holder.

Using the console interface

Syntax

[full path]ArchCon /S SQL Server Name {/E | /U Login ID /P password}

/S SQL Server Name[\Instance Name]
Specifies the instance of Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to connect to. Specify SQL Server Name to connect to the default instance of SQL Server on that server. Specify SQL Server Name\Instance Name to connect to a named instance on that server. This option is case sensitive. This option is required.

/E
Use a trusted connection instead of a SQL Login ID and password. This option is the default. If neither /E or /U is specified the request will default to /E. If both /E or /U are specified the request will fail.

/U Login ID
A SQL Login ID. Do not specify a SQL Login Id if use trusted (/E) is specified.

/P password
A user-specified password associated with a SQL Login ID. If /P is not used or if /P is specified without any password, ArchCon uses the default password (NULL). Do not specify /P if /U is not also specified/

Additional Information

  • running ArchCon with no parameters will return usage information to stdout
  • A hyphen ("-") may alternately be used in place of the forward tilting slash ("/") to specify an option.
  • Options are case sensitive only if the SQL Server is case sensitive.
  • Do not move the ArchCon.exe file to another location. It must remain in the same folder as the other files of the Archive Utility.
  • All output, including error and informational messages, from command line execution will be placed in the Archive.log file located in the Subfolder of the Local Working Directory named for the SQL Server being archived. (Example: If the Local Working Directory you specified was C:\work\ and the SQL Server you are archiving is named Fred you will find the Archive.log file at C:\work\Fred\Archive.log)