[sql] Efficient SQL test query or validation query that will work across all (or most) databases

For MSSQL.

This helped me determine if linked servers were alive. Using an Open Query connection and a TRY CATCH to put the results of the error to something useful.

IF OBJECT_ID('TEMPDB..#TEST_CONNECTION') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #TEST_CONNECTION
IF OBJECT_ID('TEMPDB..#RESULTSERROR') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #RESULTSERROR
IF OBJECT_ID('TEMPDB..#RESULTSGOOD') IS NOT NULL DROP TABLE #RESULTSGOOD

DECLARE @LINKEDSERVER AS VARCHAR(25)    SET @LINKEDSERVER = 'SERVER NAME GOES HERE'
DECLARE @SQL AS VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE @OPENQUERY AS VARCHAR(MAX)

--IF OBJECT_ID ('dbo.usp_GetErrorInfo', 'P' ) IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE usp_GetErrorInfo;  
--GO  

---- Create procedure to retrieve error information.  
--CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.usp_GetErrorInfo  
--AS  
--SELECT     
--    ERROR_NUMBER() AS ErrorNumber  
--    ,ERROR_SEVERITY() AS ErrorSeverity  
--    ,ERROR_STATE() AS ErrorState  
--    ,ERROR_PROCEDURE() AS ErrorProcedure  
--    ,ERROR_LINE() AS ErrorLine  
--    ,ERROR_MESSAGE() AS Message;  
--GO  


BEGIN TRY
SET @SQL='
SELECT 1 
'''
--SELECT @SQL
SET @OPENQUERY = 'SELECT * INTO ##TEST_CONNECTION FROM OPENQUERY(['+ @LINKEDSERVER +'],''' + @SQL + ')'
--SELECT @OPENQUERY
EXEC(@OPENQUERY)
SELECT * INTO #TEST_CONNECTION FROM ##TEST_CONNECTION
DROP TABLE ##TEST_CONNECTION
--SELECT * FROM #TEST_CONNECTION
END TRY

BEGIN CATCH
-- Execute error retrieval routine.
IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.usp_GetErrorInfo') IS NOT NULL -- IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMTHING... 
    BEGIN
        CREATE TABLE #RESULTSERROR (
        [ErrorNumber]       INT
        ,[ErrorSeverity]    INT
        ,[ErrorState]       INT
        ,[ErrorProcedure]   INT
        ,[ErrorLine]        INT
        ,[Message]          NVARCHAR(MAX) 
        )
        INSERT INTO #RESULTSERROR
        EXECUTE dbo.usp_GetErrorInfo
    END
END CATCH

BEGIN 
    IF (Select ERRORNUMBER FROM #RESULTSERROR WHERE ERRORNUMBER = '1038') IS NOT NULL --'1038' FOR ME SHOWED A CONNECTION ATLEAST. 
        SELECT
        '0' AS [ErrorNumber]        
        ,'0'AS [ErrorSeverity]  
        ,'0'AS [ErrorState]     
        ,'0'AS [ErrorProcedure] 
        ,'0'AS [ErrorLine]      
        , CONCAT('CONNECTION IS UP ON ', @LINKEDSERVER) AS [Message]            
    ELSE 
        SELECT * FROM #RESULTSERROR
END

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