For .NET developers working with Visual Studio (VS), the introduction of Database Projects with SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) brought to VS the ability to manage changes to the database schema and code objects, just like any other type of application code. An added advantage is that the declarative style of SSDT’s project files lends itself Read more
I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time as a racing driver, racing BMWs for three years before joining the BRSCC Porsche Championship. Steve McQueen famously said ‘Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting’. When I’m waiting, I’m a SQL Server DBA consultant and throughout my racing and DBA career, I’ve realised Read more
Feodor shows how to use Data-Tier Application Packages (DacPacs), together with the Data-Tier Application Framework (DacFx), as an alternative way of scripting out a database, and deploying database changes, in cases where SQL Compare can't get direct access to the production database. Read more
Some SQL coding habits are just annoying. Commas in front of column names? No way! Others are actively harmful; they’ll make your code error prone, harder for others to read and understand, and even harder to edit without making mistakes. This article covers five harmful problems that I see regularly in T-SQL code, and shows Read more
Demonstrating a one-click way to compare a source database to a target database, or a snapshot of it, and generate a script to synchronize them, as well as documentation describing the changes. Read more
SQL Prompt includes a number of snippets by default that can help you quickly write T-SQL code. These are templates of code that users use regularly. One of the more popular snippets is the “ii” snippet that helps with inserting data into a table. If I type “ii” and hit tab, I quickly get the Read more
Any database developer or DBA who spends much of their working week staring at SQL code quickly becomes set in their ways. They like to see the code laid out in a very particular way. They will struggle to look at, let alone digest and understand, code formatted in a ‘foreign’ style. It’s also rare Read more
One of the great things about SQL Prompt is that it quickly removes the need to use so many keystrokes. That’s helpful and handy, but to become a really efficient T-SQL coder, you’ll want to practice incorporating a few tricks into your routine. Here’s a good one. Often I run into tables and can’t remember Read more
Compliant Database DevOps
Standardize team-based development
Automate database deployments
Monitor performance and availability
Protect and preserve data
