11 Tools for Database Versioning

If you're developing code today, it's probably 'controlled' using a version control product of some sort. (We use Vault here, and in the past we used V S S)

That's great, your code is covered. But what about your stored procedures, and your database schema? Many developers (I suggest 'most') have no form of version control on their stored procedures or their table structures etc.

So here's some articles and some tools, to get you thinking about how you can implement change control over this other, crucial, piece of your work.

(continues....)

First, Some Articles

• SQL Server version control by Hillary Cotter
• Version Control in SQL Server by John Paul Cook
• Schema Version Control A stored procedure that emails you when changes are detected.

And the Tools

This list is completely un-guaranteed. The prices might also be wrong and can be assumed to be US dollars ((tell me if you know better).

• Red Gate SQL Compare (we use this at Advantech) from $295.
• DB Ghost from $195, recommended by Mike Hadlow here
• SQL Change Manager $995 per instance.
• SQL Effects Clarity standard ed. from $139; community ed. free.
• SQLSourceSafe from $129.
• sqlXpress Diff contact for price. :-(
• Embarcadero Change Manager contact for price. :-(
• Apex SQL Diff from $399
• SQL Source Control 2003 from $199
• SASSI v2.0 professional from $180 (looks free on their site, but apparently isn't)
• Evorex Source # shareware or $299+ (conflicting reports!)

What do you use? Got any suggestions? Improvements?

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