System Stored Procedures

Many administrative and informational activities in Microsoft® SQL Server™ can be performed through system stored procedures. The system stored procedures are grouped into these categories.

Category	Description
Active Directory Procedures	Used to register instances of SQL Server and SQL Server databases in Microsoft Windows® 2000 Active Directory™.
Catalog Procedures	Implements ODBC data dictionary functions and isolates ODBC applications from changes to underlying system tables.
Cursor Procedures	Implements cursor variable functionality.
Database Maintenance Plan Procedures	Used to set up core maintenance tasks necessary to ensure database performance.
Distributed Queries Procedures	Used to implement and manage Distributed Queries.
Full-Text Search Procedures	Used to implement and query full-text indexes.
Log Shipping Procedures	Used to configure and manage log shipping.
OLE Automation Procedures	Allows standard OLE automation objects to be used within a standard Transact-SQL batch.
Replication Procedures	Used to manage replication.
Security Procedures	Used to manage security.
SQL Mail Procedures	Used to perform e-mail operations from within SQL Server.
SQL Profiler Procedures	Used by SQL Profiler to monitor performance and activity.
SQL Server Agent Procedures	Used by SQL Server Agent to manage scheduled and event-driven activities.
System Procedures	Used for general maintenance of SQL Server.
Web Assistant Procedures	Used by the Web Assistant.
XML Procedures	Used for Extensible Markup Language (XML) text management.
General Extended Procedures	Provides an interface from SQL Server to external programs for various maintenance activities.

Note  Unless specifically documented otherwise, all system stored procedures return a value of 0, which indicates success. To indicate failure, a nonzero value is returned.

Active Directory Procedures
sp_ActiveDirectory_Obj	sp_ActiveDirectory_SCP

Catalog Procedures
sp_column_privileges	sp_special_columns
sp_columns	sp_sproc_columns
sp_databases	sp_statistics
sp_fkeys	sp_stored_procedures
sp_pkeys	sp_table_privileges
sp_server_info	sp_tables

Cursor Procedures
sp_cursor_list	sp_describe_cursor_columns
sp_describe_cursor	sp_describe_cursor_tables

Database Maintenance Plan Procedures
sp_add_maintenance_plan	sp_delete_maintenance_plan_db
sp_add_maintenance_plan_db	sp_delete_maintenance_plan_job
sp_add_maintenance_plan_job	sp_help_maintenance_plan
sp_delete_maintenance_plan

Distributed Queries Procedures
sp_addlinkedserver	sp_indexes
sp_addlinkedsrvlogin	sp_linkedservers
sp_catalogs	sp_primarykeys
sp_column_privileges_ex	sp_serveroption
sp_columns_ex	sp_table_privileges_ex
sp_droplinkedsrvlogin	sp_tables_ex
sp_foreignkeys

Full-Text Search Procedures
sp_fulltext_catalog	sp_help_fulltext_catalogs_cursor
sp_fulltext_column	sp_help_fulltext_columns
sp_fulltext_database	sp_help_fulltext_columns_cursor
sp_fulltext_service	sp_help_fulltext_tables
sp_fulltext_table	sp_help_fulltext_tables_cursor
sp_help_fulltext_catalogs

Log Shipping Procedures
sp_add_log_shipping_database	sp_delete_log_shipping_database
sp_add_log_shipping_plan	sp_delete_log_shipping_plan
sp_add_log_shipping_plan_database	sp_delete_log_shipping_plan_database
sp_add_log_shipping_primary	sp_delete_log_shipping_primary
sp_add_log_shipping_secondary	sp_delete_log_shipping_secondary
sp_can_tlog_be_applied	sp_get_log_shipping_monitor_info
sp_change_monitor_role	sp_remove_log_shipping_monitor
sp_change_primary_role	sp_resolve_logins
sp_change_secondary_role	sp_update_log_shipping_monitor_info
sp_create_log_shipping_monitor_account	sp_update_log_shipping_plan
sp_define_log_shipping_monitor	sp_update_log_shipping_plan_database

OLE Automation Extended Stored Procedures
sp_OACreate	sp_OAMethod
sp_OADestroy	sp_OASetProperty
sp_OAGetErrorInfo	sp_OAStop
sp_OAGetProperty	Object Hierarchy Syntax

Replication Procedures
sp_add_agent_parameter	sp_enableagentoffload
sp_add_agent_profile	sp_enumcustomresolvers
sp_addarticle	sp_enumdsn
sp_adddistpublisher	sp_enumfullsubscribers
sp_adddistributiondb	sp_expired_subscription_cleanup
sp_adddistributor	sp_generatefilters
sp_addmergealternatepublisher	sp_getagentoffloadinfo
sp_addmergearticle	sp_getmergedeletetype
sp_addmergefilter	sp_get_distributor
sp_addmergepublication	sp_getqueuedrows
sp_addmergepullsubscription	sp_getsubscriptiondtspackagename
sp_addmergepullsubscription_agent	sp_grant_publication_access
sp_addmergesubscription	sp_help_agent_default
sp_addpublication	sp_help_agent_parameter
sp_addpublication_snapshot	sp_help_agent_profile
sp_addpublisher70	sp_helparticle
sp_addpullsubscription	sp_helparticlecolumns
sp_addpullsubscription_agent	sp_helparticledts
sp_addscriptexec	sp_helpdistpublisher
sp_addsubscriber	sp_helpdistributiondb
sp_addsubscriber_schedule	sp_helpdistributor
sp_addsubscription	sp_helpmergealternatepublisher
sp_addsynctriggers	sp_helpmergearticle
sp_addtabletocontents	sp_helpmergearticlecolumn
sp_adjustpublisheridentityrange	sp_helpmergearticleconflicts
sp_article_validation	sp_helpmergeconflictrows
sp_articlecolumn	sp_helpmergedeleteconflictrows
sp_articlefilter	sp_helpmergefilter
sp_articlesynctranprocs	sp_helpmergepublication
sp_articleview	sp_helpmergepullsubscription
sp_attachsubscription	sp_helpmergesubscription
sp_browsesnapshotfolder	sp_helppublication
sp_browsemergesnapshotfolder	sp_help_publication_access
sp_browsereplcmds	sp_helppullsubscription
sp_change_agent_parameter	sp_helpreplfailovermode
sp_change_agent_profile	sp_helpreplicationdboption
sp_changearticle	sp_helpreplicationoption
sp_changedistpublisher	sp_helpsubscriberinfo
sp_changedistributiondb	sp_helpsubscription
sp_changedistributor_password	sp_ivindexhasnullcols
sp_changedistributor_property	sp_helpsubscription_properties
sp_changemergearticle	sp_link_publication
sp_changemergefilter	sp_marksubscriptionvalidation
sp_changemergepublication	sp_mergearticlecolumn
sp_changemergepullsubscription	sp_mergecleanupmetadata
sp_changemergesubscription	sp_mergedummyupdate
sp_changepublication	sp_mergesubscription_cleanup
sp_changesubscriber	sp_publication_validation
sp_changesubscriber_schedule	sp_refreshsubscriptions
sp_changesubscriptiondtsinfo	sp_reinitmergepullsubscription
sp_changesubstatus	sp_reinitmergesubscription
sp_change_subscription_properties	sp_reinitpullsubscription
sp_check_for_sync_trigger	sp_reinitsubscription
sp_copymergesnapshot	sp_removedbreplication
sp_copysnapshot	sp_repladdcolumn
sp_copysubscription	sp_replcmds
sp_deletemergeconflictrow	sp_replcounters
sp_disableagentoffload	sp_repldone
sp_drop_agent_parameter	sp_repldropcolumn
sp_drop_agent_profile	sp_replflush
sp_droparticle	sp_replicationdboption
sp_dropanonymouseagent	sp_replication_agent_checkup
sp_dropdistpublisher	sp_replqueuemonitor
sp_dropdistributiondb	sp_replsetoriginator
sp_dropmergealternatepublisher	sp_replshowcmds
sp_dropdistributor	sp_repltrans
sp_dropmergearticle	sp_restoredbreplication
sp_dropmergefilter	sp_revoke_publication_access
	sp_scriptsubconflicttable
sp_dropmergepublication	sp_script_synctran_commands
sp_dropmergepullsubscription	sp_setreplfailovermode
	sp_showrowreplicainfo
sp_dropmergesubscription	sp_subscription_cleanup
sp_droppublication	sp_table_validation
sp_droppullsubscription	sp_update_agent_profile
sp_dropsubscriber	sp_validatemergepublication
sp_dropsubscription	sp_validatemergesubscription
sp_dsninfo	sp_vupgrade_replication
sp_dumpparamcmd

Security Procedures
sp_addalias	sp_droprolemember
sp_addapprole	sp_dropserver
sp_addgroup	sp_dropsrvrolemember
sp_addlinkedsrvlogin	sp_dropuser
sp_addlogin	sp_grantdbaccess
sp_addremotelogin	sp_grantlogin
sp_addrole	sp_helpdbfixedrole
sp_addrolemember	sp_helpgroup
sp_addserver	sp_helplinkedsrvlogin
sp_addsrvrolemember	sp_helplogins
sp_adduser	sp_helpntgroup
sp_approlepassword	sp_helpremotelogin
sp_changedbowner	sp_helprole
sp_changegroup	sp_helprolemember
sp_changeobjectowner	sp_helprotect
sp_change_users_login	sp_helpsrvrole
sp_dbfixedrolepermission	sp_helpsrvrolemember
sp_defaultdb	sp_helpuser
sp_defaultlanguage	sp_MShasdbaccess
sp_denylogin	sp_password
sp_dropalias	sp_remoteoption
sp_dropapprole	sp_revokedbaccess
sp_dropgroup	sp_revokelogin
sp_droplinkedsrvlogin	sp_setapprole
sp_droplogin	sp_srvrolepermission
sp_dropremotelogin	sp_validatelogins
sp_droprole

SQL Mail Procedures
sp_processmail	xp_sendmail
xp_deletemail	xp_startmail
xp_findnextmsg	xp_stopmail
xp_readmail

SQL Profiler Procedures
sp_trace_create	sp_trace_setfilter
sp_trace_generateevent	sp_trace_setstatus
sp_trace_setevent

SQL Server Agent Procedures
sp_add_alert	sp_help_jobhistory
sp_add_category	sp_help_jobschedule
sp_add_job	sp_help_jobserver
sp_add_jobschedule	sp_help_jobstep
sp_add_jobserver	sp_help_notification
sp_add_jobstep	sp_help_operator
sp_add_notification	sp_help_targetserver
sp_add_operator	sp_help_targetservergroup
sp_add_targetservergroup	sp_helptask
sp_add_targetsvrgrp_member	sp_manage_jobs_by_login
sp_addtask	sp_msx_defect
sp_apply_job_to_targets	sp_msx_enlist
sp_delete_alert	sp_post_msx_operation
sp_delete_category	sp_purgehistory
sp_delete_job	sp_purge_jobhistory
sp_delete_jobschedule	sp_reassigntask
sp_delete_jobserver	sp_remove_job_from_targets
sp_delete_jobstep	sp_resync_targetserver
sp_delete_notification	sp_start_job
sp_delete_operator	sp_stop_job
sp_delete_targetserver	sp_update_alert
sp_delete_targetservergroup	sp_update_category
sp_delete_targetsvrgrp_member	sp_update_job
sp_droptask	sp_update_jobschedule
sp_help_alert	sp_update_jobstep
sp_help_category	sp_update_notification
sp_help_downloadlist	sp_update_operator
sp_helphistory	sp_update_targetservergroup
sp_help_job	sp_updatetask
	xp_sqlagent_proxy_account

System Procedures
sp_add_data_file_recover_suspect_db	sp_helpconstraint
sp_addextendedproc	sp_helpdb
sp_addextendedproperty	sp_helpdevice
sp_add_log_file_recover_suspect_db	sp_helpextendedproc
sp_addmessage	sp_helpfile
sp_addtype	sp_helpfilegroup
sp_addumpdevice	sp_helpindex
sp_altermessage	sp_helplanguage
sp_autostats	sp_helpserver
sp_attach_db	sp_helpsort
sp_attach_single_file_db	sp_helpstats
sp_bindefault	sp_helptext
sp_bindrule	sp_helptrigger
sp_bindsession	sp_indexoption
sp_certify_removable	sp_invalidate_textptr
sp_configure	sp_lock
sp_create_removable	sp_monitor
sp_createstats	sp_procoption
sp_cycle_errorlog	sp_recompile
sp_datatype_info	sp_refreshview
sp_dbcmptlevel	sp_releaseapplock
sp_dboption	sp_rename
sp_dbremove	sp_renamedb
sp_delete_backuphistory	sp_resetstatus
sp_depends	sp_serveroption
sp_detach_db	sp_setnetname
sp_dropdevice	sp_settriggerorder
sp_dropextendedproc	sp_spaceused
sp_dropextendedproperty	sp_tableoption
sp_dropmessage	sp_unbindefault
sp_droptype	sp_unbindrule
sp_executesql	sp_updateextendedproperty
sp_getapplock	sp_updatestats
sp_getbindtoken	sp_validname
sp_help	sp_who

Web Assistant Procedures
sp_dropwebtask	sp_makewebtask
sp_enumcodepages	sp_runwebtask

XML Procedures
sp_xml_preparedocument	sp_xml_removedocument

General Extended Procedures
xp_cmdshell	xp_logininfo
xp_enumgroups	xp_msver
xp_findnextmsg	xp_revokelogin
xp_grantlogin	xp_sprintf
xp_logevent	xp_sqlmaint
xp_loginconfig	xp_sscanf

API System Stored Procedures

Users running SQL Profiler against ADO, OLE DB, ODBC, and DB-Library applications may notice the use of system stored procedures that are not covered in the Transact-SQL Reference. These stored procedures are used by the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server, the SQL Server ODBC driver, and the DB-Library dynamic-link library (DLL) to implement the functionality of a database API. These stored procedures are simply the mechanism the provider or drivers use to communicate user requests to SQL Server. They are intended only for the internal use of the OLE DB Provider for SQL Server, the SQL Server ODBC driver, and the DB-Library DLL. Calling them explicitly from an SQL Server application is not supported.

The complete functionality from these stored procedures is made available to SQL Server applications through the API functions they support. For example, the cursor functionality of the sp_cursor system stored procedures is made available to OLE DB applications through the OLE DB API cursor properties and methods, to ODBC applications through the ODBC cursor attributes and functions, and to DB-Library applications through the DB-Library Cursor Library.

These system stored procedures support the cursor functionality of ADO, OLE DB, ODBC, and the DB-Library Cursor Library:

sp_cursor	sp_cursorclose	sp_cursorexecute
sp_cursorfetch	sp_cursoropen	sp_cursoroption
sp_cursorprepare	sp_cursorunprepare

These system stored procedures support the prepare/execute model of executing Transact-SQL statements in ADO, OLE DB, and ODBC:

sp_execute

sp_prepare

sp_unprepare

The sp_createorphan and sp_droporphans stored procedures are used for ODBC ntext, text, and image processing.

The sp_reset_connection stored procedure is used by SQL Server to support remote stored procedure calls in a transaction.

The sp_sdidebug stored procedure is used by SQL Server for debugging Transact-SQL statements.