Deploying new code that includes changes to your database schema doesn’t have to be a process fraught with stress and burned fingers. Follow these five tips and enjoy a good nights sleep.
1. Deploy with Roll Forward & Rollback Scripts
When developers check-in code that requires schema changes, that release should also require two scripts to perform database changes. One script will apply those changes, alter tables to add columns, change data types, seed data, clean data, create new tables, views, stored procedures, functions, triggers and so forth. A release should also include a rollback script, which would return tables to their previous state.