Get Your Database Under Control

Steve JonesRed Gate Software

Goals

• Understand the value of version/source control for databases

• Learn the tools, standards, patterns and best practices needed to manage a database from source control

• Identify the necessary flow within a team needed to develop a database with source control

Get in touch

www.voiceofthedba.comsjones@sqlservercentral.com

@way0utwest

Steve Jones

How many of you use version control for your application code?

C#, ASP.NET, Javascript, VB.NET, etc.

database

How many of you use version control for your application code?

Developers who refuse to use source/version control should be

fired, simple as that.

Isn’t this too much trouble for my crappy experimental

program?

Use source control because neither you nor your

developers are perfect.

There are no excuses where you should not use it.

If it’s not in source control, it doesn’t exist.

“…your database should always be under source

control right next to your application code.”

Reducing Risk

You’re using version control

You’re using version control

Use Something

Demo

Getting started with databases in VCS

Additional Reasons for Source Control

• Backup & Restore• Undo• Audit changes• Sandbox• Branching/Merging

Rules for Database Development

Never use a shared database for development.

Always Have a Single, Authoritative Source

For Your Schema.

Always Version Your Database.

The Ideal

• Each developer has a dedicated environment with a copy of the schema and minimal data.

• A shared integration environment where all developers’ changes are merged, available for developer testing.

Patterns and Practices• Get all your code

– Object DDL– Assembly code– Security grants and revokes– Database configuration settings– Jobs for your application– Lookup data

Patterns and Practices

• Commit Early, Commit Often• Use meaningful comments. Why, not what.• Check for changes often• Use common names and code patterns• Use tools• Branch Rarely

Teamwork

Teamwork

• Communicationo Team members need to be aware of

(easily) what others are doing.

• Coordinationo Teams need to work in a way that

complements each other.

Teamwork

• CommunicationoReview each other’s code as you

refactoro Share knowledge

o CoordinationoDecide on common code styles and

namesoAnd …

Teach

Demo

The flow within teams

Reasons to Branch

• Release• Hot Fixes• New Development• Integration• Feature set

Reasons to Branch

• Release• Hot Fixes• New Development• Integration• Feature set

Demo

Branching

Best Practices

• Use version control for all code (including tests)

• Commit early, commit often• Use tools

o If it’s hard, people don’t do it• Train people• Build often

Automation

Automation

Deploymentpackage

deployment package1

2

3

Development

FAIL

Goals

• Understand the value of version/source control for databases

• Learn the tools, standards, patterns and best practices needed to manage a database from source control

• Identify the necessary flow within a team needed to develop a database with source control

Want to try the tools you’ve just seen? Come to our Hands-on Labs

www.voiceofthedba.com

@way0utwest

sjones@sqlservercentral.com

Thanks for coming

References

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/115369/do-you-use-source-control-for-your-database-items

• http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001050.html• http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/02/get-your-database-unde

r-version-control.html

• http://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/Standards/Rules/RulesToBetterSQLServerDatabases.aspx

• http://odetocode.com/blogs/scott/archive/2008/01/30/three-rules-for-database-work.aspx

• Check in early, check in often - http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/08/check-in-early-check-in-often.html

• http://betterexplained.com/articles/a-visual-guide-to-version-control/

Credits

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/8349818088/in/photostream/

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/8525214@N06/5132974421