Source Control

Question

Source Control

Greg Larsen

SSC-Insane

Points: 20961
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June 12, 2006 at 2:20 pm

#61908

Does anyone use source control for database objects? What are the pros and cons to using some kind of source control for SQL Server objects. Our shop has purchased Seapine Surround SCM.
Gregory A. Larsen, MVP

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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Harry Anderson Valued Member Points: 65 More actions · Answer 1

We use Rational ClearCase, although not directly. I have a stored procedure that scripts out all the objects from our SQLServer Instances (6 of them) to the file system on a daily basis. When that is complete I use ClearTool (command line) in a scheduled job to perform an import into our VOB. What I end up with is a daily update across 6 SQL servers. Additionally any developer who executes the stored procedure will get their database objects placed into source control.

Yelena Varshal SSC-Dedicated Points: 34286 More actions · Answer 2

Harry,

Do you have a requirement to track daily code changes as a difference in code between 2 daily files for today and yesterday?

Regards,Yelena Varsha

Greg Larsen SSC-Insane Points: 20961 More actions · Answer 3

Right now I'm trying to determine "What are the value added reason for using source control?". Basically right now with SQL Server 2000 if I want to know what an object looks like I script it out from the database. What I don't have is how that object has changed over time. Also as we move to 2005 and people start wanting to use CLR we will need a place to store the CLR code, since CLR source code is not a database object, but an external object. What I'm really trying to do is determine is what are other DBA's doing. How many are managing there changes under some kind of source control system? For those that are doing source control, what are you trying to capture with source control, and what value does it provide. For those DBA's that have looked at source control but are not doing anything, then why did they find source control not valuable.

I also worry about the burden of adding a Source Control task to our database development and change processs. Especially if the process has to be done manually.

Gregory A. Larsen, MVP

Yelena Varshal SSC-Dedicated Points: 34286 More actions · Answer 4

Greg,

The reason for using the Source Code control could be compliance requirement for example. Like FDA or SOx compliance. That is why I asked Harry who says he is using ClearCase what were their requirements. I, too am very interested in what other DBAs think on the subject and what is a trade-off between the process effort and benefits.

Another solution may be a change request process where each change is implemented after a certain paperwork or logging into a bug/enhancement tracking system like Rational ClearQuest.

Regards,Yelena Varsha

vambati SSCrazy Points: 2769 More actions · Answer 5

Same here. Especially with CLR out with sql 2005 its required to control the changes. Are there another options apart from using a source control tool??

Greg Larsen SSC-Insane Points: 20961 More actions · Answer 6

I assume one could just create a directory on a network share to store the source code for CLRs. This would be a low-tech, easy to implement solution which would solve the basic need of having a place to store the source code. So is there any real benefit for doing much more than this, if you do not have any clear business drivers for developing a high_tech source control process?

Gregory A. Larsen, MVP

Yelena Varshal SSC-Dedicated Points: 34286 More actions · Answer 7

Greg,

You can use Visual Studio Team Systems 2005 as a high-tech solution or you can use Visual Notepad for your code and store it in the file system. The key here is a good process. If you can design and implement the process that everybody on the team will follow and assuming you don't have a business need, then you are sort of OK. One word of caution with this approach: you will never know who modified your file, how the file was modified and why it was done. I really would recommend a source code control tool. There are free tools out there like Subversion.

Regards,Yelena Varsha

John-79567 SSCommitted Points: 1892 More actions · Answer 8

We use Source Safe to help with versioning. Basically, I created a master project for each database server and scripted all the objects to get an initial snapshot. Now, all of our developers check out the objects they need to modify and check them back in. The real benefit to this is that it's easy for the Production DBA's to do a quick compare of the two versions before running the alter statements.