This article describes how we implemented lightweight database provisioning, using clones, within an automated Flyway release process . It allows users to self-serve personal copies of a complex multi-database system, in a way that is transparent, supports flexible Git branching and merging strategies and agile releases, but does not compromise data security nor add significant admin overhead. Read more
How to use SQL Clone in the Azure Cloud, installing it on an Azure Virtual Machine, storing a copy of your SQL Server database as an 'image' on an Azure File Share, and then deploying multiple clones to another Azure VM or to a remote machine. Read more
When database development is described, the details often get vague when the data gets beyond spreadsheet-size. There is 'hand-waving' talk of providing databases for each developer, but little detail of how you would provision all the databases that would be needed, at the correct version and with the correct development data, and then keep them all in sync with the source code, as developers commit changes. This article explains the requirements, and how SQL Clone can meet them. Read more
Alexander Diab demonstrates how a team of developers can work on and test features in different branches of a SQL Server database development project, while their local development database automatically remains 'synchronized' with the current branch in version control. Read more
Learn how SQL Clone and SQL Change Automation, used together, now allow you to branch your database in Git as quickly and simply as your code. Read more
This article will explain how to import the data classification metadata for a SQL Server database into Data Masker, providing a masking plan that you can use to ensure the protection of all this data. By applying the data masking operation as part of an automated database provisioning process, you make it fast, repeatable and auditable. Read more
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 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