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Tip: Create Server Groups to Manage SQL Server

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You use SQL Server groups to organize sets of computers running SQL Server. You can organize these groups by, say, function or department. You can even create subgroups within a group.

In SQL Server Management Studio, you use the Registered Servers view to work with server groups. The top-level groups are already created for you, based on the SQL Server instances. Although you can add registered servers directly to the top-level groups, if you have a lot of SQL Server instances, you will probably want to create additional levels in the server group hierarchy. For example, under the default Database Engine group, you might create subgroups for Corporate Customers, Engineering, and Enterprise Data.

To create a server group (or a subgroup) by completing the following steps:

  1. In SQL Server Management Studio, display the Registered Servers view by pressing Ctrl+Alt+G.
  2. Use the Registered Servers toolbar to select the top-level group. (For example, if you want to create a second-level or third-level group for Database Engine instances, select Database Engine.)
  3. As necessary, expand the top-level group node and the Local Server Groups nodes by double-clicking each in turn. You will see the names of the top-level server group and any second-level server groups that you’ve created. To create a group in a deeper subgroup, keep expanding nodes till you locate the appropriate group.
  4. Right-click the group name for where you want the new group to be located and choose New Server Group.
  5. In the New Server Group Properties dialog box, type a name and description for the new group in the boxes provided.
  6. Click OK.

When you register a computer running SQL Server for use with SQL Server Management Studio, you can choose the group in which you want to place the server.

You can also move a server to a new group. To do so, do the following:

  1. Right-click the server in the Registered Servers view, point to Tasks, and then select Move To from the shortcut menu to display the Move Server Registration dialog box.
  2. Expand the Local Server Groups entry to see a list of subgroups, and expand the subgroups as necessary.
  3. Select the group in which you want the server to be a member (this can be a top-level group or a subgroup).
  4. Click OK.

From the Microsoft Press book Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant, Second Edition by William R. Stanek.

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