System Procedures

System procedures are shortcuts for retrieving information from the system tables, and mechanisms for performing database administration and other tasks that involve updating system tables.

Usually, system tables can be updated only through stored procedures. A system administrator can allow direct updates of system tables by changing a configuration variable and issuing the reconfigure with override command. See, Managing User Permissions, in the Security Administration Guide.

System procedures are created by the installmaster script in the sybsystemprocs database during SAP ASE installation. The name of the system procedure usually indicates its purpose. For example sp_addalias adds an alias.

• Execute System Procedures
  You can run system procedures from any database. If a system procedure is executed from a database other than the sybsystemprocs database, any references to system tables are mapped to the database from which the procedure is executed.
• Permissions on System Procedures
  Since system procedures are located in the sybsystemprocs database, their permissions are also set there.
• Types of System Procedures
  System procedures can be grouped by function, such as auditing, security administration, data definition, and so on.
• Other SAP ASE-Supplied Stored Procedures
  SAP ASE provides catalog stored procedures, system extended stored procedures (system ESPs), and dbcc procedures.