This script is pretty simple but with great power to the DBA´s. How many times did you need to search for SQL Server Instances across the network ? I believe every DBA already had to do this at least once.
With PowerShell this process is , as always, pretty simple to do .
The script :
$verbosepreference= 'SilentlyContinue'
1..254 | foreach {
if ($_ -ne 4) { #put the last number of the IP of the machine that is running the script to exclude this machine
$Ip = "xxx.xxx.xxx.$_"
Write-Verbose "testing ip $($ip)"
if ((Get-WmiObject Win32_PingStatus -Filter "Address= '$Ip'").Statuscode -eq 0) {
$SQLService = Get-service -ComputerName $Ip -Name "MSSQL*" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($SQLService) {
Write-Output "IP $($IP) Found $($SQLService.count) SQL Server Service(s) Instance(s) `n"
} else {
Write-Verbose "IP $($IP) does not found any SQL Server Service `n"
}
} else {
Write-Verbose "IP $($IP) does not replied to ping `n"
}
}
}
In the first line I define the range or 1 to 254.
In the second line I am excluding the IP that is running the script, in my cases is the last number 4 , or xxx.xxx.xxx.4
In the third line I am defining the variable IP to serach in that specific IP. Of course yoou need to change the xxx.xxx.xxx to your network.
In the fourth line I am pinging the IP and in the fifth line searching for any SQL Server Service.
running this script :
You can also see the progress , just change the verbose preference to Continue :
$verbosepreference= 'Continue'
and if you want you can just see the progress and output the Ip that had SQL Server Service to a txt change the line :
Write-Output "IP $($IP) Found $($SQLService.count) SQL Server Service(s) Instance(s) `n" | Out-File c:\temp\Ips.txt -Append
Just remembering that you need to run this script in PowerShell as administrator 
Simple, Clean and Fast. Classic Powershell
#PowerShellLIfeStyle
