List all Alerts within a SharePoint site without using the SharePoint API?

Question

Is it possible to get a list of alerts for ALL users within a given site? After messing with the GetAlerts method in /_vti_bin/Lists.asmx, it seems it always executes in the context of the user who provided it with credentials, and will only return the Alerts for THAT user. I was hoping to get a list of EVERY alert within the site.

I know I can probably do this via the SharePoint API in a console app but was hoping to use web services or another method that didn't require direct access to the SharePoint box.

I guess the other method would be to write a custom web service... but I was hoping for something quick and easy.

Answer 1

I think you have answered your question. There is no easy way, only custom coding is left.

Answer 2

Couldn't you use the _vti_bin/sitedata.asmx GetListItems (it allows you to send CAML) method to retrieve alerts and just run the call to the service as the application pool's identity, that should retrieve all items, since the application pool identity is the system account for your site collection....