MS Sql Database Mail Configuration.

Introduction
This is an enterprise solution for sending mails from the SQL Server database
engine to SMTP servers. SQL Server database applications can communicate with
users through an email system. It provides features like scalability, security, and
reliability.
It uses an SMTP server to send mail. SQL Server 2000 supports SQL Mail, which
supports MAPI profiles to send email instead of an SMTP server. SQL Mail requires a
MAPI-compliant mail server (Microsoft Exchange Server) and a MAPI client
(Microsoft Outlook).
We can send a text message, query result, file as attachment. The database mail
can be used to notify users or administrators regarding events raised in SQL
Server. For example, if an automation process like replication, database mirroring
fails or there are latency related problems then SQL Server can use this feature to
notify the administrators or operators.

Points to Remember

Like SQL Mail, database mail doesnt require a MAPI a compliant mail server like
Outlook Express or extended programming interface.
Better performance. Impact of sending mails to SMTP servers by SQL Server is
reduced as this task is implemented by an external process initiated by
the DatabaseMail.exe file.
Works fine in a cluster based environment.
64-bit support.
Database mail configuration information is maintained in an MSDB database.
Only members of SysAdmin and DatabaseMailUserRole database role of
MSDB can send mails by default.
Allows sending messages in different formats like text and HTML.
Supports logging and auditing features through different system tables of MSDB.
The main components of database mail are:
Sp_send_dbmail
This is a system defined stored procedure which is used by SQL Server to send
email using the database mail feature. This stored procedure is present in the
MSDB database.
MSDB Database
Consists of all stored procedures, system tables, and database roles related to
database mail.
Service Broker
To establish communication between the SQL Server engine and the database mail
engine we need a service broker. It submits the messages to the mail engine.
DatabaseMail.exe
This file is present in the Binn folder of the respective instance. It is the database
mail engine.

Figure 1 (Source: BOL) Database Mail Architecture

How it works?
When a run time error occurs due to any automated task like backups,
replication etc database engine raise the error and same information is
submitted to Database Mail engine, then database mail engine will
submit the mail to SMTP Server using EmailID and Password mentioned
in profile. At the last SMTP Server sends mail to recipients.
Error --> DB Engine --> DB Mail Engine --> SMTP Server --> Recipients

FAQ: How to enable a Service Broker in MSDB?

USE [master]
GO
ALTER DATABASE [MSDB] SET ENABLE_BROKER WITH NO_WAIT
GO

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MSDB tables related to Database Mail

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sysmail_profile: Consists of all the profiles information.

sysmail_account: Consists of SMTP server accounts information.
Sysmail_server: Consists of SMTP server details.
Sysmail_allitems: Mail sent status. If the sent_status is 1 then success, otherwise
failed.
Sysmail_log: To check the errors raised by Database Mail feature.
Sysmail_configuration: Consists of system parameter details.

Steps to configure
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Enable the db mail feature at server level

.
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sp_configure 'Database Mail XPs',1

reconfigure

Enable service broker in the MSDB database.

USE [master]
GO
ALTER DATABASE [MSDB] SET ENABLE_BROKER WITH NO_WAIT
GO

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Configure mail profile (profile is a collection of accounts).

Add SMTP account(s).
Make the profile private or public.
Private profile can be used by:
sysadmin members and
databasemailuserrole members of MSDB
Set parameters.
Send the mail.

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Go to Object Explorer
Management
Right click on Database Mail and select Configure Database Mail as follows

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Next
Select Setup Database Mail by performing the following tasks as follows

Example: Configuring Database Mail

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Next
Enter profile name = SQL Profile and description as follows

Click on Add button and enter the following details. Always use your own email
ID. Generally we have to use here the company email id. We have to raise a ticket
to the mail server admin team to get the following details.
Separate email id for SQL Server (This is From Email ID)
SMTP server name
Port number
SSL feature should be enable or disable.
Here I am using my personal email id. In Basic Authentication option enter the
same email ID along with the valid password of the email ID.

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OK
Next
Under Manage Profile Security option make the profile as public by selecting
checkbox and default as follows

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Next
Accept the default settings for System Parameters as follows

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Next
Finish

Close.

Observations
Use msdb
Go
--Step1: Varifying the new profile
select * from sysmail_profile
--Step2: Verifying accounts
select * from sysmail_account
--Step3: To check the accounts of a profile
select * from sysmail_profileaccount
where profile_id=3
--Step4: To display mail server details
select * from sysmail_server

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We have configured database mail feature successfully. Let's test the mail feature
as follows.

Go to Object Explorer -> Management -> right click on Database Mail -> Send Test
Email

Enter the following details. You can use required values.

Select Profile name: SQLProfile
To: ask.sqlserver@gmail.com (Any Email ID- generally it should be
administrators group email ID)
Subject: Hi, Backup Alert
Body: Backup of master database was generated successfully.

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Send Test Email -> OK

Verifying whether the mail was send successfully or not. Take new query and run
the following command and check sent_status column value for your mail as
follows

Check your mail box you can find new Email from SQL Server.

Sending Mail using SP_SEND_DBMAIL

We can send the mail programmatically from any stored procedure, job or batch
file using sp_send_dbmail system procedure. Before sending the mail we can check
the required parameters by viewing the definition of stored procedure.

We have to pass the following parameters to the above stored procedure.

Profile_name (We can mention the above profile name which we have created)
Recipients (We can mention multiple recipients by separating with "
src="http://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/smiley_wink.gif" />
Subject
Body

Example 1: Sending mail using the sp_send_dbmail stored

procedure
Step 1:

Step2: Verifying using sysmail_allitems. Here check the sent_status column of last
Email.
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use msdb
go
select * from sysmail_allitems

Example 2: Sending mail using sp_send_dbmail stored

procedure which has query result as message.
Step 1: Sending mail (I am using emp table present in Test database)
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EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail
@profile_name = 'SQLProfile',
@recipients = 'skm.mcp@gmail.com',
@query = 'SELECT COUNT(*) as No_Empls FROM
Test.dbo.emp',
@subject = 'No of Employees Working';

Step 2: Verifying using sysmail_allitems. Here check the sent_status column of last
Email.
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use msdb
go
select * from sysmail_allitems

Configuring Database Mail Using T-SQL

Script
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--Enabling Database Mail

sp_configure 'show advanced options',1
reconfigure
go
XPs',1

sp_configure 'Database Mail

reconfigure

--Creating a Profile
EXECUTE msdb.dbo.sysmail_add_profile_sp
@profile_name = 'SQLProfile',
@description = 'Mail Service for SQL Server' ;
-- Create a Mail account for gmail. We have to use our company mail account.
EXECUTE msdb.dbo.sysmail_add_account_sp
@account_name = 'SQL_Email_Account',
@email_address = 'youremail@gmail.com',
@mailserver_name = 'smtp.gmail.com',
@port=587,

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@enable_ssl=1,
@username='youremail',
@password='Emailid password'
-- Adding the account to the profile
EXECUTE msdb.dbo.sysmail_add_profileaccount_sp
@profile_name = 'SQLProfile',
@account_name = 'SQL_Email_Account',
@sequence_number =1 ;
-- Granting access to the profile to the DatabaseMailUserRole of MSDB
EXECUTE msdb.dbo.sysmail_add_principalprofile_sp
@profile_name = 'SQLProfile',
@principal_id = 0,
@is_default = 1 ;
--Sending Test Mail
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail
@profile_name = 'SQLProfile',
@recipients = 'youremailid@xxxx.com',
@body = 'Database Mail Testing...',
@subject = 'Databas Mail from SQL Server';
--Verifying, check status column
select * from sysmail_allitems

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Summary
Database Mail feature was introduced in SQL Server 2005 version, which can be
used to notify the administrators/operators. It provides better performance as well
as cluster aware feature.