Phil Factor shows uses SQL Clone and PowerShell to automatically create images of all databases on an instance, if they don't already exist, and then create or refresh clones of each one, on all your development servers. Read more
Phil Factor demonstrates some simple examples of how to use SQL Clone's PowerShell library to pass objects between cmdlets, and simplify common tasks, such as creating and deploying clones from various images. He then documents the objects and cmdlets, and illustrates their inputs and outputs. Read more
If you are evaluating a tool such as a text editor or spreadsheet, it is easy: you just install it, you run it, you decide whether you need it. Job done. However, a similar 'unboxing' or 'unwrapping' of SQL Clone, and installing across a network, is not so quick and easy. Phil Factor's solution is to install and run a complete installation of SQL Clone on a single box. This allows you to try everything out, creating images and deploying clones, while isolated from the network. It can then be extended across a network, subsequently, when it's been fully tested. Read more
Phil Factor describes the freedom of being able to "self-serve" databases, during testing and development, and explains how it works with SQL Clone. Read more
SQL Clone 4 introduces a new access control feature called Teams, allowing granular control over the SQL Server instances, images and clones to which each group of users has access. I’ll explain how Teams makes it easier to manage the safe distribution of database copies throughout the organization, to the various teams that need them Read more
Phil Factor provides a PowerShell script to disconnect your laptop without risking error 21, if you're working with SQL Clone and need to go offline. The same script will then bring the clone database back online smoothly, once you're reconnected. Read more
Phil Factor demonstrates how to use SQL Clone to create 'disposable' SQL Server databases, for development and testing work. You can spin up a clone, use it to unit test your code, messing up the clone in the process, then reset the clone in seconds, ready for the next test. Read more
Phil Factor uses SQL Clone, PowerShell and Visio to build a live 'clone network' diagram showing when there was last activity on each clone, and the number of object changes made to each one, alongside useful metadata such as the clone and image sizes, who created them and when. Read more
Whenever you’re ready to refresh a test cell with the latest database version, you need a safe way to drop the current set of clones, and the parent image, without losing any unsaved work. Phil Factor provides a PowerShell script that automates this process so it runs in the time it takes to grab a coffee, after which can quickly deploy the new clones. Read more
Phil Factor shows how to automatically apply T-SQL modification scripts during image and clone creation. Using this technique you can, for example, apply data masking to all clones, or customize an individual clone to work on a special variant or branch version, or set up instance level objects like Agent jobs or linked servers. Read more