DBAs - Do you use Database Mail (not SQL Mail)?

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SQL Server includes Database Mail (it was a new feature released back in 2005 as a replacement for SQL Mail). Database Mail is a great feature as it allows:

HTML messages natively supported - so there's no need to use 3rd party dlls anymore
Communication direct with SMTP server - There's no need for outlook or MAPI profiles on server
Multiple profiles and accounts supported to specify multiple SMTP servers or different email infrastructure situations
SQL Server queues messages even when the external mailing process fails
High security - users and roles have to be granted permission to send mail
Logging and auditing
Attachment size regulations and file extension requirements

❌ Figure: Bad example - Using SQL Mail

EXEC master.dbo.xp_smtp_sendmail
@FROM = N'[email protected]',
@FROM_NAME = N'Sophie Belle',
@TO = '[email protected]',
@subject = 'Vendor List',
@message = 'The list of vendors is attached.',
@type = N'text/html',
@server = N'mail.company.com.au'

❌ Figure: Figure: Bad example - Avoid using SQL Mail - you need to have Outlook on the server and there is no built-in logging

✅ Figure: Good example - Use Database Mail

USE msdb
Execute dbo.sp_send_dbmail
@profile_name = 'UTS',
@recipients = '[email protected],
@body = 'The list of vendors is attached.',
@query = 'USE AdventureWorks; SELECT VendorID, Name FROM Purchasing.Vendor',
@subject = 'Vendor List',
@attach_query_result_as_file = 1

✅ Figure: Figure: Good example - Use database mail for scalability, built-in logging and HTML capability

DBAs - Do you use Database Mail (not SQL Mail)?

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