I've written a small dos batch script that runs a simple query through
osql and then calls an exe which sends an email if the returned value
The query checks if a value in a column has not been updated for 5
mins and raises a warning through an email and it will need to run
throughout the online day.

Will there be any issues continually opening & closing connections in
this way?

Would there be any advantage in scheduling it as a job in Windows v a
scheduled job in SQL Server to run every 5 mins?

Thanks.

I don't see a problem with running a polling process like this every 5
minutes. Personally, I'd do this in SQL Agent job with a single
Transact-SQL step and use database mail if SQL 2005 or xp_smpt_sendmail
(http://www.sqldev.net/xp/xpsmtp.htm) if SQL 2000.

--
Hope this helps.

Dan Guzman
SQL Server MVP

"Stephen2" <Stephen (AT) mailinator (DOT) com> wrote

On Jul 20, 1:40 pm, "Dan Guzman" <guzma...@nospam-
online.sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Thanks Dan, that would be a better way but I couldn't get either sql
mail or xp_smpt_sendmail to work. It's a bit like the blind leading
the blind here. I just need a quick & easy solution in the short term.