Moving from application automation to true DevOps by including the database

This article explains the challenges of DevOps automation for databases, starting with how to manage the database, as a set of SQL scripts, in the version control system, and then how to start building an integrated and automated script pipeline for continuously testing and deploying database schema changes, alongside the application code. Read more

Database Deployments and Rocky Rollback Horrors: Where Does the New Data Go?

Phil Factor describes the problem of preserving data that is left 'in limbo' when you need to revert the database to a previous version that has no way of accommodating it. Read more

Database Build Blockers: Four-part Object References

Cross-server references keep cropping up as a problem for development and build. Phil Factor demonstrates how using linked server 'aliases' can get around these issues, even if the individual databases use four-part references within the code rather than synonyms. Read more

Database DevOps for Pragmatists: A Datafaction Case Study

Ami Adler, a Software Development Manager at Datafaction explains how they used Redgate tools, and others, to introduce automation and testing into their Database DevOps processes and so achieved a faster and more reliable deployment process for their application. Read more

Questions about SQL Change Automation that you were Too Shy to Ask

Phil Factor takes on tricky SQL Change Automation questions about database builds, migrations, deployments and releases. Read more

Database Development with GitHub

How can you use GitHub to do team-based database development? This article proposes a process that splits development work into task-based GitHub branches, incorporates daily database builds and integration testing, and uses Redgate tools to automate tasks such as provisioning, database scripting, and testing. Read more

Using Filters to Fine-tune Redgate Database Deployments

Filters are used by Redgate's SQL Compare, SQL Source Control, DLM Dashboard, and SQL Change Automation. A typical use for a filter is to work on just one schema within a database or just a limited set of tables and routines. You would also want to use a filter to exclude certain object, such as database users, from comparisons. Phil Factor explains how they work, and how to create, edit and then use them within the various Redgate tools. Read more

SQL Change Automation: Adding SQL Clone to the Mix

Tony Davis explores how SQL Change Automation is increasingly providing ways of working with SQL Clone, to improve the quality of testing for database changes. With SCA v4.3, developers can now use the SSMS plugin to create a clone of the target database, to be used as a reference database, or baseline, for the deployment project. Read more

Handling System-named Constraints in SQL Compare

If some of your database constraints have system-generated names, they can cause 'false positives' when comparing schemas and generating build scripts using SQL Compare or SQL Change Automation. Phil Factor explains the difficulties, and the Compare option you need to enable to avoid them. Read more

Simple Database Development with SQL Change Automation

SQL Change Automation makes automation simple enough that it can adapt to suit many different approaches to SQL Server database development. Phil Factor describes a project to update the Pubs database, using it in combination with a PowerShell function and to maintain in source control the build scripts, migration scripts and object-level scripts, for every version of the database. Read more

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Database Builds and Deployments