How do I look at SQL Agent Job without starting SQL Agent? - sql-server

Question

I have just set up a new SQL Server instance on a new server and moved our application to use the new server. So I've had to turn SQL Agent off on the old server - turning it on would start the scheduler and start sending out emails and running things that shouldn't be run any more.
However, I need to take a close look at a SQL Agent Job on the old server, and ideally reverse-engineer the code to recreate it so I can modify it and apply it to the new server.
How do I generate the code for that Job on the old server without turning SQL Agent on?
Thanks

Answer 1

Even if SQL server agent is not running, you can see how jobs and schedules were set up by viewing the following system DMVs.
msdb.dbo.sysjobs_view
msdb.dbo.sysjobs
msdb.dbo.sysjobschedules
msdb.dbo.sysschedules
I use preset scripts to create all my jobs and schedules independent of the server. Here is a sample script to create the recycle log job. You can modify this or use any piece of this as you see fit.
DECLARE #sql nvarchar(max)
BEGIN TRY
IF EXISTS (SELECT job_id
FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobs_view
WHERE name = N'Cycle SQL log')
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_delete_job #job_name=N'Cycle SQL log'
, #delete_unused_schedule=1
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_add_job
#job_name = N'Cycle SQL log',
#description = N'This job forces SQL to start a new error log (In the Managment node of SSMS)',
#owner_login_name = N'your_sql_login' ;
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_add_jobstep
#job_name = N'Cycle SQL log',
#step_name = N'sp_cycle_errorlog',
#subsystem = N'TSQL',
#command = N'exec sp_cycle_errorlog' --put your executable code here
--These next two lines set the target server to local, so that the job can be modified if necessary
SET #sql = 'EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_add_jobserver #job_name=N''Cycle SQL Log'', #server_name = N''' + ##SERVERNAME + ''''
EXEC sys.sp_executesql #stmt = #sql
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
PRINT 'Uh-oh. Something bad happened when creating the Cycle SQL Log job. See the following error.'
PRINT CAST(ERROR_MESSAGE() AS NVARCHAR(1000))
END CATCH
You can use use code to automate the addition of schedules based on values you pull from the DMVs listed above.