Data synchronizing with SQL Server Management Studio

Question

I was just about to buy redgate.com's compare package when I came to realize it seems highly unlikely a task like this isn't something that can be performed from the Management Studio.

I have a development database and I have a live database. I develop my application adding stored procedures, correcting small things in the data structure and maybe add some new tables. Now I want the changes added to the live server. As it is unlikely I have kept 100% track of all of my changes I would of course like if it just new itself what I have changed.

Does anyone know what's best practice in Management Studio for this task? I mean it must be a task we all gets confronted with in larger projects.

Answer 1

If you do it with management studio it's all restricted to your own head. YOU will have to keep track of all the changes etc. I find that Redgates SQL Compare 8 and SQL Data Compare 7 does the trick. I recently moved the structure of a production database over to something totally different within minutes thanks to Redgate.

I have earlier tried to use Management Studio but it does not perform very well at complex tasks.

Answer 2

You really should be keeping your database schema in version control along with your source code.

Answer 3

What's wrong with it not being in the IDE? It has its own interface.

This tool save me hours a day. Not only because I dont HAVE to remember everything, but I then dont have to fix the production server if I missed something. I can work on multiple systems and push updates to each of them in a 10th of the time it would take me in the Management Studio.

This tool is by far the best 3rd party tool ive used for sql server. Its a godsend. A cheap one at that.

Just dont have the arrow pointing the wrong way ;-)

Answer 4

Okay I just bought Redgate :)

I have worked with it before so i can only agree that it is state of the art, I was just stunned to realize that Management Studio don't have anything that corresponds to this.

Thanks for the great answers! Stackoverflow really is the pleace to ask these kinda things.

Answer 5

I see you chose RG's tool, I'll write anyway for other people, and maybe you'll find it helpful also :

You talked about 2 different things: database comparison and database versioning. For comparison, you can try any of these tools : list of comparison tools for SQL . You can still use the visual studio comparison, but you'll find it quite... simple, usually too simple for your needs.

If, however, you're talking about versioning your database, try this tool for SQL Version Control . it does comparisons as well.