Let's say we have a continuous integration server. When I check in, the post-hook pulls the latest code, runs the tests, packages everything. What is the best way to also automate the database changes?
Ideally, I'd build an installer that could either build a database from scratch or update an existing one using some automated syncing method.
If you have the opportunity to define and control the whole database management and db creation process, have a serious look at DB Ghost - it's more than just a tool - it's a process.
If you like it and can implement it, you'll get great returns on it - but it's a bit of a "all-or-nothing" kind of approach. Recommended.
Marc
The latest version (5.0) of DB Ghost doesn't suffer from the "non ASCII character" problem (it just means that the file is UTF8 encoded) and it should be able to do exactly what you need.
Also, the tools can actually be used standalone to perform the various functions (scripting, building, comparing, upgrading and packaging) if you want, it's just that using them all together provides a full end-to-end process thus making the overall value greater than the sum of it's parts.
In essence, to make changes to the schema you update individual object creation scripts and per-table insert scripts (for reference data) that are held under source control just like you were developing a “day one” greenfield database. The DB Ghost tools are used to enable the whole thing by building these scripts into a brand new database (using continuous integration if required) and then comparing and upgrading a target database, which can be a copy of the production database. This process produces a delta script which can be used on the real production database during go-live.
You can even produce a Visual Studio database project and add it into any solutions you currently have.
Malc
I would caution against using a db backup as a development artifact, most CI best practices suggest that you manage the schema, procedures, triggers, and views as first class development artifacts. The side effects is that you can take this one step further and use them to build a new database whenever you want, ideally you also have some data that can be pushed into the database.
Here is a cliff notes version to get your feet wet, but there is lots out there in this space: http://www.infoq.com/news/2008/02/versioning%5Fdatabases%5Fseries
I like some of the ideas that Scott Ambler has here as well, the site is good but the book is surprisingly deep for such a difficult set of problems. http://www.agiledata.org/ http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321293533/ambysoftinc