Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Chrissy LeMaire @funbucket.dev · 1d

One of my favorite things to use AI for is repo storytelling. Claude Code is SO good at using gh, git and its own tools to understand changes to @dbatools.io's repo and tell a story. Here, I asked it to detail @sqldbawithbeard.bsky.social's Pester contributions for my upcoming session at @psconf.eu

A console with the writing:

**SQLDBAWithABeard's Pester Contributions – Deep Dive:**

**The Foundation: November 23, 2016 – A Historic Day**

SQLDBAWithABeard made 83 commits in a single day (November 23, 2016), fundamentally transforming dbatools' quality standards. This was just 6 months after June Blender added the first test file.

**1. CI/CD Infrastructure Setup**

Created the complete testing infrastructure:

* tests/appveyor.pester.ps1 – A sophisticated test runner that:

* Supports multiple PowerShell versions (v2+)
* Serializes XML results for AppVeyor consumption
* Uploads test results to AppVeyor's test page via API
* Aggregates results from multiple PowerShell version test runs
* Fails builds on test failures with detailed failure summaries
* AppVeyor CI Integration – Set up continuous integration that:

* Runs tests on native PS version and PS 3.0
* Installs Pester and PSScriptAnalyzer automatically
* Collects and uploads test results
* Added skip commit support for readme updates

A console that says:

**2. Test-Driven Documentation Standards**

Created tests/dbatools.Tests.ps1 – A comprehensive module manifest test that validates:

* Module name, root module, GUID, version
* Author and company information
* PowerShell version requirements
* Required assemblies
* Critically: All exported functions match actual function files

This test ensured the module manifest stayed in sync with actual functions.

**3. The Great Documentation Cleanup (Nov 23, 2016)**

After establishing the test infrastructure, he discovered widespread documentation gaps. His response: 83 commits in one day adding parameter help to pass tests across the entire codebase:

* Added help for Force, WhatIf, Confirm parameters (ShouldProcess support)
* Added SqlCredential, Detailed, OutputFile, Collection parameter help
* Fixed function headers to match Pester requirements

2 1 6

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 8

SEVEN MILLION+ downloads on the PowerShell Gallery! Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen 🤗

Screenshot of the PowerShell Gallery page for the dbatools module version 2.5.5, showing a large red arrow pointing to the total download count of 7,001,571, highlighting a milestone achievement; the page also displays 15,846 downloads for this version, the last published date of August 5, 2025, and an example PowerShell command to install the module.

1 7

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

If you build software, you're based in the US or Canada, and your organization has been around for at least 3 years, check out Azure Trusted Signing.

It costs $9.99/mo, which after 3 years, costs about the same as a 3-year DigiCert — all without the antiquated ID verification.

Trusted Signing—Managed Signing Services | Microsoft Azure

Secure your applications with a fully managed end-to-end signing service for code, documents, applications, and more with Trusted Signing from Microsoft Azure.

azure.microsoft.com

3

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

But how cool is it to have your software signed by @microsoft.com?

Also, check out that NotAfter and NotBefore, so short!

1 4

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

Or you can stay with version 2.5.1. That signature will be valid pretty much until the end of time.

Oh and going back to Install-Module, if you switch to Install-PSResource, that bypasses the SkipPublisherCheck requirement.

```
Install-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet
```

1

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

Not up for dealing with daily cert rotation? You can set your execution policy to Bypass or Unrestricted.

If this sounds concerning to you, the post below should provide you with reassurance. Also, most if not all of us on the dev team set our Execution Policies to Bypass or Unrestricted if we can.

EXPECTED ERROR: Update-Module dbatools Authenticode Issue for 2.5.5 · Issue #9748 · dataplat/dbatools

TLDR: dbatools is moving to Azure Trusted Signing, which means Microsoft backs our reputation and dbatools won't trigger as many antivirus false positives. Users upgrading from older signed version...

github.com

1 2

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

In PowerShell 7, we're looking forward to built-in support, hopefully coming soon. Shoutout to @jborean.bsky.social !

Trusted Publisher Checks for Azure Trusted Signing by jborean93 · Pull Request #25824 · PowerShell/PowerShell

PR Summary Add support for checking the Azure Trusted Signing publisher identifier alongside the thumbprint. This check will verify whether the unique Azure TS OID present in the EKU is in any cert...

github.com

1 2

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

For users with strict ExecutionPolicies, we have a workaround for the daily cert rotation in Windows PowerShell.

Add this Import-Dbatools function to your profile to auto-trust certs:

Import-Dbatools

Import-Dbatools. GitHub Gist: instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

gist.github.com

1 1

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

Our cert now shows Microsoft ID Verified as the issuer. Identity validation took just 30 minutes vs DigiCert's 2+ months.

Azure Trusted Signing provides instant reputation tied to our verified identity & not to a specific cert like the old way. Should finally solve years of false positives.

A Windows Certificate Manager window shows the "Trusted Publishers" certificate store under "Certificates - Current User." The selected certificate is issued to "dbatools" and issued by "Microsoft ID Verified CS AOC CA 02," with an expiration date of August 8, 2025. Other listed certificates include several issued to "Microsoft Corporation" by "Microsoft Code Signing PCA 2011," mostly for Microsoft Publisher and code signing purposes, with varied expiration dates. The view indicates 10 total certificates in this store.

1 1 3

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

Upgrading from older versions? You'll need this ONE time:

```
Install-Module dbatools -Force -SkipPublisherCheck
```

After that initial transition, you won't need SkipPublisherCheck again since our cert keeps the same subject and root CA for version 2.5.5+ onward.

1 3 3

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Aug 7

🎉 Big news! dbatools is moving to Azure Trusted Signing, which provides base reputation on Windows SmartScreen. No more antivirus false positives.

The catch? If you use strict ExecutionPolicies, you'll need to trust our cert after each update (it rotates daily). But we've got automation scripts.

dbatools is moving to Azure Trusted Signing

TLDR: dbatools is moving to Azure Trusted Signing, which means Microsoft backs our reputation and dbatools won't trigger as many antivirus false positives. …

blog.netnerds.net

2 10 20

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Jess Pomfret (She/Her) @jpomfret.co.uk · Apr 18

I wrote a new post about a specific parameter on Backup-DbaDatabase that I didn't know existed.

The @dbatools.io module always amazes me, even though I use it everyday!

jesspomfret.com/dbatools-bac...

dbatools Backup-DbaDatabase -ReplaceInName

Recently I was reading the docs for `Backup-DbaDatabase` and found a parameter I didn't realise existed, but is so useful when you want to automate backups, but keep control of the file names.

jesspomfret.com

1 4 7

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Mar 14

😌 oh good. Happy that was the issue after getting that notification!

1 2

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Shane O'Neill @sozdba.bsky.social · Mar 6

Getting #SQLServer Version using @dbatools.io

#SqlBlog #PowerShell

nocolumnname.blog/2025/03/06/g...

Getting SQL Server Version using dbatools

Time to read: ~ 4 minutes Words: 730 The Initial IssueChecking under the function’s hoodUsing a dictionary insteadShift left?Using dbatoolsConnect-DbaInstanceGet-DbaDatabaseEnd I will discuss…

nocolumnname.blog

1

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Vlad Drumea @vladdba.com · Feb 24

Blog post from the past:
I which I demo creating and managing aliases via @dbatools.io, cliconfig, SQL Server Configuration Manager, and registry keys.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #powershell
vladdba.com/2023/09/29/c...

Configuring and using SQL Server client aliases

In this post I cover SQL Server client aliases, what they are and when they're useful, as well as how to configure, update, and use them.

vladdba.com

2 3

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Fabian Bader @fabian.bader.cloud · Jan 22

⚠️ Attention #HHPSUG #PowerShell people ⚠️

Our Hamburg PowerShell User Group today was hit by flu season and we have to move it to next week.

📆New date & time: 29.01.25 19:00 CET

Hope to see you all then.

www.meetup.com/hamburg-powe...

CC @funbucket.dev

Hamburg PowerShell User Group #40 - AI, Wed, Jan 29, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup

Das nächste Treffen der Hamburg PowerShell User Group findet am 29.01.2025 um 19:00 Uhr statt und ihr seid herzlich eingeladen! (Verschoben vom 22.01.25) Das Treffen finde

www.meetup.com

6 4

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Adam Driscoll @adamrdriscoll.com · Jan 20

Fantastic walk through of using @dbatools.io with PowerShell Universal. Jess provides step-by-step examples of pulling data back in APIs and building out an app to display database in tables. She even gets into the server-side paging. Worth a watch!

Jess Pomfret (She/Her) @jpomfret.co.uk · Jan 20

Put together a little video on using #PowerShellUniversal with @dbatools.io to create a cool dashboard!

What do you think? What should I add? (especially to the home page 🤣)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKD1...

PowerShell Universal + dbatools!

YouTube video by Jess Pomfret

www.youtube.com

1 2 4

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Andy Levy @alevyinroc.flxsql.com · Jan 20

I’m getting so many ideas from this. And so little time.

Jess Pomfret (She/Her) @jpomfret.co.uk · Jan 20

Put together a little video on using #PowerShellUniversal with @dbatools.io to create a cool dashboard!

What do you think? What should I add? (especially to the home page 🤣)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKD1...

PowerShell Universal + dbatools!

YouTube video by Jess Pomfret

www.youtube.com

1 3 4

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Rob Sewell He/Him @robsewell.com · Jan 20

So very cool. #dbatools & #PowerShellUniversal creating a dashboard enabling users to backup their databases and showing the current status. I also love that Jess explains some of the development process so that even if you're not a PowerShell expert you can still learn the steps to do this yourself

Jess Pomfret (She/Her) @jpomfret.co.uk · Jan 20

Put together a little video on using #PowerShellUniversal with @dbatools.io to create a cool dashboard!

What do you think? What should I add? (especially to the home page 🤣)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKD1...

PowerShell Universal + dbatools!

YouTube video by Jess Pomfret

www.youtube.com

1 4 8

Reposted by dbatools 🚀

Jess Pomfret (She/Her) @jpomfret.co.uk · Jan 20

Put together a little video on using #PowerShellUniversal with @dbatools.io to create a cool dashboard!

What do you think? What should I add? (especially to the home page 🤣)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKD1...

PowerShell Universal + dbatools!

YouTube video by Jess Pomfret

www.youtube.com

11 24

dbatools 🚀 @dbatools.io · Dec 31

Lots of #SQLServer and #PowerShell on this list!

Vlad Drumea @vladdba.com · Dec 31

To top off 2024, I've put together a list of my most popular blog posts in 2024.
Thanks for all the clicks, likes and shares!

vladdba.com/2024/12/31/m...

#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba