Red Gate's new SQL Data Compare 6 enables comparisons with backups

New Row Level Restore functionality saves ''tons of time,'' while user interface upgrades make it easy to target and update pieces of data

CAMBRIDGE, U.K., October 8, 2007 – Red Gate has released a new version of SQL Data Compare that delivers a major time-saver for developers and DBAs: the ability to compare a live database with its backup, without having to restore the backup file or even copy it to a local disk.

The new functionality, called Row Level Restore, works with either native SQL Server backup or Red Gate's own SQL Backup tool, and is available in the Pro edition of SQL Data Compare 6.  It enables SQL Server DBAs and developers to restore damaged, altered or missing data to their original state, synchronizing directly from the last good backup.

''The ability to compare a live DB to a SQL Server backup is great,'' says Justin Webster, a technical lead for a Fortune 15 company in California,''I used to routinely restore my backup files to a temporary DB; this [new method] will save tons of time''

SQL Data Compare 6 Pro also enables comparisons between two offline backup files. Using the command line interface, users can automatically compile an accurate and dependable audit trail in a fraction of the time it would normally take.  They can find out what data was changed, when and where; and then restore it in one simple operation.

''I am unable to do data comparisons on production, due to the impact that would have and the constantly shifting data,'' says software developer Ben Lam. ''Having to copy a backup file to a different server and then restore it is a pain.  I love the ability to compare against a backup file – talk about time savings''

Keyhole surgery for databases

While comparisons with backups is the feature most remarked-upon by alpha and beta testers of SQL Data Compare 6, there are other important upgrades to the software.

New operations and user interface features in SQL Data Compare 6 make it much easier to precisely target a single piece of data and quickly update it.  Users can pivot a table to see a whole row of data for tables with many fields, navigate through differences swiftly even in very large comparisons, and view per-table synchronizations.  

''This new version is to database comparison what keyhole or laparoscopic methods are to modern surgery,'' says Richard Mitchell, lead programmer for SQL Data Compare 6. ''It prevents unnecessary downtime, lowers costs, reduces human error, and avoids collateral data damage''

A demo, walkthrough, and fully functional 14-day trial download of SQL Data Compare 6 can be found at www.red-gate.com.

About Red Gate Software 

Red Gate Software makes ingeniously simple tools for Microsoft technology developers and DBAs.  The company’s product line includes tools for comparing, synchronizing, packaging, backing up and recovering SQL Server databases; understanding and fixing Visual Studio code problems to enable better performance; and profiling .NET web applications.  Red Gate is a silver sponsor for the Visual Studio 2005 launch and a Visual Studio Industry Partner.

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Press Contact: 

Bob Cramblitt
Cramblitt & Company
tel. 919-481-4599
info@cramco.com

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