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title: "sp_helpdevice (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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# sp_helpdevice (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  Reports information about Microsoft® SQL Server™ backup devices.  
  
> [!IMPORTANT]  
>  [!INCLUDE[ssNoteDepFutureAvoid](../../includes/ssnotedepfutureavoid-md.md)] We recommend that you use the [sys.backup_devices](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-backup-devices-transact-sql.md) catalog view instead  
  
||  
|-|  
|**Applies to**: [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] ([!INCLUDE[ssKatmai](../../includes/sskatmai-md.md)] through [current version](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=299658)).|  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
sp_helpdevice [ [ @devname = ] 'name' ]  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 [ **@devname =** ] **'***name***'**  
 Is the name of the backup device for which information is reported. The value of *name* is always **sysname**.  
  
## Return Code Values  
 0 (success) or 1 (failure)  
  
## Result Sets  
  
|Column name|Data type|Description|  
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|  
|**device_name**|**sysname**|Logical device name.|  
|**physical_name**|**nvarchar(260)**|Physical file name.|  
|**description**|**nvarchar(255)**|Description of the device.|  
|**status**|**int**|A number that corresponds to the status description in the **description** column.|  
|**cntrltype**|**smallint**|Controller type of the device:<br /><br /> 2 = Disk device<br /><br /> 5 = Tape device|  
|**size**|**int**|Device size in 2-KB pages.|  
  
## Remarks  
 If *name* is specified, **sp_helpdevice** displays information about the specified dump device. If *name* is not specified, **sp_helpdevice** displays information about all dump devices in the **sys.backup_devices** catalog view.  
  
 Dump devices are added to the system by using **sp_addumpdevice**.  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires membership in the **public** role.  
  
## Examples  
 The following example reports information about all dump devices on an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)].  
  
```  
EXEC sp_helpdevice;  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [sp_addumpdevice &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-addumpdevice-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_dropdevice &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-dropdevice-transact-sql.md)   
 [Database Engine Stored Procedures &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/database-engine-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Stored Procedures &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)