Getting CI right for SQL Server

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Getting CI right for SQL Server
Alex Yates

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
DLM Consultant
workingwithdevs.com
alex.yates@dlmconsultants.com
AlexYates
@_AlexYates_

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
@_AlexYates_ | #SQLLeeds

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Agile
Scrum
Lean
DevOps
Iterative
Continuous Delivery
Developers

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Monitoring
Deployment
Integrity
Performance
DBAs

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Woah! Deployment fail?

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
#worksOnMyMachine
Woah! Deployment fail?

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
A cursor?! You just CAN’T do that?!

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
#worksOnMyMachine
A cursor?! You just CAN’T do that?!

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Hey, you just dropped my hot-fix!

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
#worksOnMyMachine
Hey, you just dropped my hot-fix!

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
What is CI?

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
What is CI?
Continuous Integration (CI) is a development practice that
requires developers to integrate code into a shared repository
several times a day.
Each check-in is then verified by an automated build, allowing
teams to detect problems early.
www.thoughtworks.com/continuous-integration

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Farm Credit Services of America (FCSA)
• 100 person IT team, 14 sub-teams
• Database version control inconsistent
• Deployment process manual
• Delivery was slow and unreliable

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
• Deployments easier to review
• Delivery faster and more reliable
• Standardised source control and delivery process
• Automated manual deployment tasks

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
The deployment pipeline

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Databases are hard
• Schema changes vs existing data
• Reference data vs production data
• Teamwork and testing
• Database drift (change outside
process, e.g. production hot-fixes)

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Agenda
Version control
Model vs migrations
Automated builds
Unit testing
Drift
General advice

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Version Control

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Version control - LMGTFY

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
There’s
more than
one way to
skin a cat

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
There’s
more than
one way to
skin
automate
a cat

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
V1 V2
Migrations-based solutions

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
V1 V2
State-based solutions

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“There's nothing more
reliable than keeping
track of exactly the
scripts you intend to run,
and running them, without
trying to compare state
and guess.”

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“There's nothing more
reliable than keeping
track of exactly the
scripts you intend to run,
and running them, without
trying to compare state
and guess.”
Paul Stovell,
built Octopus Deploy
http://docs.octopusdeploy.com/display/OD/SQL+Server+databases

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“As soon as you have
multiple changes on a
single aspect of an object,
ordering and the ability to
detect which change
needs to be made gets
very complicated.”

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“As soon as you have
multiple changes on a
single aspect of an object,
ordering and the ability to
detect which change
needs to be made gets
very complicated.”
Gert Drapers,
built DataDude
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/gertd/2009/06/05/declarative-database-development/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Migrations vs state
http://workingwithdevs.com/delivering-databases-migrations-vs-state/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
State
 Easier (less control)
 Better for sprocs/functions
 Better for large/distributed
teams
 Better for frequent changes
 Better for dependency
nightmares
 Drift: rolled back
 Better for development
Migrations
 More control (harder/needs
discipline)
 Better for data migrations
 Better for small teams
 Better for infrequent
changes
 Better for simple data stores
 Drift: ignored
 Better for automation
VS

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
DLMConsultants.com/model-vs-mig

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Automated builds

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
VCS Build Test Sync
Upgrade scriptDatabase
package
Test
results
The automated build process

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
http://www.jamesshore.com/Blog/Continuous-Integration-on-a-Dollar-a-Day.html

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Build servers

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Builds/Tests
are run on
CI agents
Builds/Tests are
managed on
CI server
CI
server
How do build servers work?

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Unit testing

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Unit testing
www.tsqlt.org

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
www.tsqlt.org
Unit testing

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
http://workingwithdevs.com/three-odd-attitudes-towards-database-unit-testing-that-make-me-angry/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“When making changes
directly on production, you are
making a decision that the
delay due to poor cycle time is
more expensive than the risk of
making a mistake.”

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
“When making changes
directly on production, you are
making a decision that the
delay due to poor cycle time is
more expensive than the risk of
making a mistake.”
AlexYates,
built this slide

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
The bad stuff:
• Accidental roll-backs
(state)
• Failed deployments
(migrations)
• Environment inconsistency
(migrations)

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Drift
Strategies to help
 Improve cycle time
 Strict security policies
 Monitor drift (play with DDL
triggers)
 Redgate DLM Dashboard (free)
https://www.simple-talk.com/sql/database-administration/database-deployment-the-bits-database-version-drift/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Drift
Strategies to help
 Improve cycle time
 Strict security policies
 Monitor drift (play with DDL
triggers)
 Redgate DLM Dashboard (free)
http://www.red-gate.com/products/dlm/dlm-dashboard/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
• Don’t do *all the things* at once - start with VCS and drift, then CI, then
RM
• Don’t forget tests
• Teamwork above tools/process
• Keep Branching simple… especially if you aren’t using a DVCS
• Decouple database deployments from other systems
• Use the right process/tool for your database and team
• Ask me for help!
General advice

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
• Standardised VCS, CI and RM processes
• FCSA delivering much more efficiently
• FCSA process model for sister organisations
• The team all have excellent CV’s

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
• Standardised VCS, CI and RM processes
• FCSA delivering much more efficiently
• FCSA process model for sister organisations
• The team all have excellent CV’s
http://www.codeaperture.io/2016/09/13/how-redgate-helped-define-our-process/

Getting CI right for SQL Server

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Siloed sparrows suck at DLM

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Heated hippos are closed minded

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
State
 Easier (less control)
 Better for sprocs/functions
 Better for large/distributed
teams
 Better for frequent changes
 Better for dependency
nightmares
 Drift: rolled back
 Better for development
Migrations
 More control (harder/needs
discipline)
 Better for data migrations
 Better for small teams
 Better for infrequent
changes
 Better for simple data stores
 Drift: ignored
 Better for automation
VS
Clever people consider options

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Use appropriate tools

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Only hire developers who write tests

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Hunt his smug face - make pain on it

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
This stuff makes a big difference
http://www.codeaperture.io/2016/09/13/how-redgate-helped-define-our-process/

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
DLMConsultants.com/ci

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Questions?
Links: DLMConsultants.com/ci
Contact me: alex.yates@dlmconsultants.com

@_AlexYates_
#SQLLeeds
Image sources
Author Source Information
Chiltepinster Wikimedia Commons Mocking Bird Argument.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike 3.0 Unported license. Source on Wikimedia Commons: “Own work”
Bit Boy Flickr The elephant in the room – Flickr. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Nils Rinaldi Flickr Hippo fight 2/3 – Flickr. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
My own collection Taken by/property of Alex Yates Kitten, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!”
Memegenerator.net Memegenerator.net I don’t always edit database. Content designed to be shared and delivered with credit to memegenerator.net.
Ctrl.Alt.Design ctrla.lt Social Media share icons

Getting CI right for SQL Server

More Related Content

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked (16)

Similar to Getting CI right for SQL Server (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Getting CI right for SQL Server