Microsoft SQL Server patching

Question

In SolarWinds DPA, is it possible to create an alert/report of when a Microsoft SQL Server needs patching?

muhammad.osama · Answer

Yes, it is possible, though SolarWinds DPA does not have a "one-click" patch alert. Because DPA is a performance tool and not a patch management system, it doesn't automatically know which KB articles Microsoft has released.

To achieve this, you must use a Custom SQL Alert that compares the server's current version against your organization's "Minimum Required Version."

1. The Strategy: Custom SQL Alert

You can create a "Custom SQL Alert - Single Numeric Return" that runs a query against your monitored SQL instances. If the returned value is 1, it means the server is below your patch threshold and triggers the alert.

The Logic:

* Query: Check SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion').
* Threshold: If the version is less than your required baseline (e.g., '16.0.4115.5' for SQL 2022 CU12), return 1.
* Notification: DPA sends an email/alert identifying the server.

2. How to Set It Up

* 
* 
* SQL-- Example for SQL Server 2022-- Returns 1 if the version is lower than the target patch levelSELECT CASE     WHEN CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion') AS NVARCHAR(128)) < '16.0.4115.5'     THEN 1     ELSE 0 END
* Execution Interval: Set this to Daily (e.g., 1440 minutes). Patching status doesn't change every 10 minutes, so checking once a day reduces overhead.
* Thresholds: Set the High Threshold to Min: 1. This ensures that if the query returns 1, the alert fires.

3. Creating a Patching Report

If you prefer a visual report of all servers rather than an email alert, use the Report Builder:

* 
* Select Graphic Report or Tabular Report.
* Choose the Inventory or Custom SQL data source.
* Use a query that pulls SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion') and SERVERPROPERTY('ProductLevel') (e.g., RTM, SP1, CU2) for all monitored instances.

4. Important Considerations for 2026

* Maintenance of the Alert: The biggest downside is that you must manually update the alert script every time Microsoft releases a new Cumulative Update (CU) that you want to mandate.
* SQL Sentry Alternative: If you have SolarWinds SQL Sentry (often bundled with DPA in the "Database Insights for SQL Server" package), it has a much more robust Advisory Conditions engine that can natively track versioning across a larger estate with less manual SQL coding.
* Platform Integration: If your DPA is integrated into the SolarWinds Platform (Orion), you can use the "Patch Manager" module or even a simple "Custom Table" widget on your dashboard to display version numbers pulled via SAM or DPA.

Lofstrand · Answer

SolarWinds have a separate tool for that, Patch manager. It's just not built into DPA.

simon-theiet · Answer

That is a shame. RedGate has a product which does that and can assist with the patching too.