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
Demonstrating how to use PowerShell automation to create a suite of clones, for testing or development work, with the ability to revert a clone to its original state, instantly, ready for the next set of tests to begin.
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A PowerShell automation script to build a SQL Server database from source control, seed it with dummy data, document it, and then deploy copies to any number of test and development servers. Read more
Phil Factor explains how SQL Clone works, and its multiple benefits when used in daily development and testing work, as well as for other tasks such as training staff to use a new application. Read more
As more businesses start to use cloud-based platforms, such as Azure SQL Database, as their primary database solution, they find that they still need to support on-premise workflows for development and test databases. This is a perfect task for SQL Provision. Read more
SQL Provision helps to accelerate the delivery of database changes, by enabling an organization to provide database copies, and the right data, to all parts of the deployment pipeline that need it, with a light footprint, and securely. Tony Davis explains how. Read more
Phil Factor provides the basis for a Database Continuous Integration process, using SQL Change Automation to build the latest database, and then SQL Clone to distribute it to the various team-based servers that need it. Having honed the process, you can run it every time someone commits a database change. Read more
Grant Fritchey shows how to adapt a data masking process, for address data, so that it incorporates knowledge of the data distribution in the real data. The result is fake address data, with an accurate distribution, for use in development and testing work. Read more