How to Generate Fake Test Data for SQL Server

How to use a SQL random data generator to fill SQL Server tables with realistic test data, to shift left database unit testing, integration testing and performance testing so that it is performed during the early stages of database development. Read more

The Joy of Realistic Generated Fake Database Data

Have you ever had to demonstrate a database-driven application, and longed to have the real data to do so? To do what, precisely? Well, so you can then scroll through the customers who have used the system, demonstrate the accounting and audit, browse through the products, maybe even demo the customer tracking system with comments, complaints and so on. All this is possible, using realistic, fake data. Read more

Database DevOps for Pragmatists: A Datafaction Case Study

Ami Adler, a Software Development Manager at Datafaction explains how they used Redgate tools, and others, to introduce automation and testing into their Database DevOps processes and so achieved a faster and more reliable deployment process for their application. Read more

Gathering SQL Server Performance Counters for Multiple Servers

SQL Multi Script can easily be persuaded to run queries at the server level rather than the database level. It is also able to combine results from many databases even if the results aren't identical but have some different columns. Phil Factor demonstrates how this works, when collecting a set of performance counters from all databases on a distribution list of servers. Read more

Unboxing SQL Toolbelt: What is SQL Multi Script for?

SQL Multi Script does one thing and does it well: it will run whatever script or scripts you select, on a list of databases, and collate all the results neatly. However, it has a surprising number of uses. Phil Factor explains how it works and then uses it to search 100 databases, for occurrences of a string, in about 7 seconds. Read more

A Hybrid Approach to Database DevOps

A flexible approach to Database DevOps where the team maintain the current state of the database in version control, during development, and then at key stages generate and test the migrations script that will deploy the changes to the target database, safely. Read more

SQL Change Automation Scripting: Getting Data into a Target Database

Your strategy for loading a freshly built database with data will depend on how much you need. If just a few rows, then single-row INSERT statements will be fine, but for more than that you'll need to build insert the rows using native-format BCP. Fortunately, SQL Change Automation (SCA) can be used with either strategy, as Phil Factor demonstrates. Read more

Static Data and Database Builds

Whichever way you wish to ensure that a database, when built, has all the data that will enable it to function properly, there are reasonably simple ways of doing it. Phil Factor explains the alternatives. Read more

Simple Steps in SQL Change Automation Scripting

Phil Factor demonstrates the bare essentials of SCA PowerShell scripts that can form the basis for an automated process for database delivery or help improve your current process. Read more

Database Delivery with Docker and SQL Change Automation

Phil Factor demonstrates how to integrate SQL Change Automation into containerized workflows, such as are typical of a microservices architecture. He shows how to automate database builds into a Linux SQL Server container running on Windows, and then backup the containerized database and restore it into dedicated containerized development copies for each developer and tester. Read more

OVERVIEW

BY NEED

BY ROLE

BY INDUSTRY

Product articles SQL Toolbelt