You administer eight SQL Server 2000 computers. On one server, you created 20 operators in SQL Server Agent with e-mail and pager information and configured alerts to notify those operators. You now need to configure the same 20 operators on the other seven servers with minimal administrative effort. What is the most efficient way to copy these operator definitions to the remaining servers?

Introduction / Context:
SQL Server Agent operators store contact information such as e-mail addresses and pager numbers that alerts use when notifying administrators. When you administer multiple SQL Server instances, it is often convenient to reuse the same operator definitions across servers. Rather than manually recreating them, you can script them and run the script on each target server. This question tests your understanding of the safest and most efficient way to replicate operator definitions without disrupting system databases.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• There are eight SQL Server 2000 instances in your environment.
• On one server, you already defined 20 SQL Server Agent operators.
• Each operator has e-mail and pager information configured.
• Alerts are already using these operators on the first server.
• You want the same set of operators to exist on the other seven servers.
• You want to minimize administrative time and avoid risky operations.

Concept / Approach:
SQL Server Enterprise Manager can generate scripts for many types of objects, including SQL Server Agent operators, jobs and alerts. Once the script is created, you can execute it on other servers to quickly create identical operators. Copying or replicating the entire msdb database just to move operators is inappropriate because msdb contains many server-specific objects, schedules and history that should not be shared. Manually recreating operators is time-consuming and more error-prone than running a tested script.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. On the source server, open SQL Server Enterprise Manager and navigate to the SQL Server Agent Operators node. 2. Use the built-in scripting feature or a right-click option to generate a Transact-SQL script for all existing operators. 3. Save the script to a .sql file and review it for correctness and any server-specific details. 4. Connect to each of the other seven servers using Query Analyzer or Enterprise Manager and execute the script. 5. Confirm on each server that the operators appear under SQL Server Agent with the correct e-mail and pager information.

Verification / Alternative check:
After running the script on a target server, you can open SQL Server Agent operators on that server and verify that all 20 operators exist with matching contact details. You can also test a sample alert configured to notify one of these operators and confirm that e-mail or pager messages are sent correctly. This verifies that the operators have been replicated properly.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, detaching and copying msdb, is dangerous because msdb contains jobs, schedules, backup history and other instance-specific metadata; replacing it wholesale on other servers can corrupt their configuration and history. Option C, snapshot replication of msdb, is similarly inappropriate, as msdb is not meant to be replicated and doing so would overwrite local configuration. Option D, manually recreating operators through the GUI, would work but is time-consuming and error-prone compared to scripting.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is treating system databases like application databases and copying them between servers, which can introduce inconsistencies and break jobs. Another pitfall is relying heavily on manual configuration without scripting, making it hard to reproduce or audit changes. Learning to script out objects such as operators, jobs and logins is a key skill for SQL Server administrators and greatly simplifies multi-server management.

Final Answer:
You should use SQL Server Enterprise Manager to script all of the operators to Transact-SQL and then run that script on each of the other seven servers to create the same operators with minimal manual effort.