This is the 2nd in the series of evaluations I have carried out on Idera’s SQL Server Toolbox. The first one focused on Idera SQL Server Admin Toolset (http://databaseexpertise.com/2010/09/idera-sql-tools-an-evaluation/).
This next one introduces a relatively new Idera addition – the SQL Comparison Toolset.
SQL comparison toolset
Ever had a couple of databases you wanted to compare – easily and quickly? Maybe you have a production and test database which you need synchronized as updates to the Test DB occur? Ever wondered what schematic differences, if any, occur between 2 particular databases?
Developers often find themselves dealing with many databases, most of which structurally are akin. The Idera SQL Comparison Toolset allows both developers and DBAs to contrast different databases and then allows them to easily propagate desired changes e.g. from a test to a production environment.
Before discovering this tool, my team of developers spent many hours recreating and re-designing databases and corresponding database objects – this is now eradicated with the use of this simple-to-manage interface.
Ever found yourself having to create tables, similar to those in other databases, but without knowing the exact definition? Another time-saving advantage is the ability to identify specific table definitions and easily transport these across to create new tables.
A couple of simple clicks of your mouse and you can rapidly synchronise a set of tables, a pair of databases, two different environments and you have the ability to capture schema snapshots to streamline your change history management. In fact when recording the change history etc, this can be used as a useful auditing utility.
Database migration also becomes easier with the use of Idera’s automation capabilities and powerful command line interface.
By combining both Object and Data Comparison tools, as well as synchronisation, this toolset is another one stop shop for DBAs and Developers, allowing them to administer their environments and manage their time more effectively and efficiently.
The only stipulation I came across in evaluation was that the databases used for comparison & synchronisation need to have same collation (which to be fair is pretty much good practice anyhow)! You can synchronise between SQL 2008 & SQL 2005 databases and vice versa.
There have been many scripts made available to produce a full database schematic script for re-deployment etc, again this tool offers this functionality too, only the smart aspect of this script is that it highlights the various dependencies between the objects.
The Idera SQL Comparison Toolset can also compare the schematic differences of ‘virtual databases’ too, as created by SQL Virtual Database (see next part in the evaluation series for more information).
This is a tool that alleviates some of the tedium tasks a DBA carries out on a daily basis, all from one uncomplicated, effortless toolset.
To trial the comparison toolset and evaluate for yourself, check out the video tutorial:-
http://www.idera.com/Product-Video-Tour/SQL-toolbox/SQL-comparison-toolset-Overview/
To download a trial:-
https://www.idera.com/Action/RegisterToolbox.aspx?FormID=2&ProdID=18
