Tag Archives: DBA xPress

Pragmatic Works, SQL Server

Browsing SQL Server Databases With DBA xPress

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With the latest release of the Pragmatic Workbench, we are exposed to the Object Browser. The Object Browser is a very cool feature that is party of the DBA xPress package of tools designed with the database administrator in mind. This is the first time I’m exploring this tool, so I wanted to walk through the feature with you and give my take on it (even though I’m not a DBA, but nonetheless…).

When you first launch Object Browser, you must first point to the server where your database exists. So far so good.

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After connecting, we’re immediately treated to a nifty tree view of our database and the objects within that database. In this case, of course, I’ve connected to the Adventure Works DW 2008 R2 database.

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The browser is extremely responsive and very quick. Drilling down and exploring the database is slick and fast. Once you’ve connected to the database, you can browse it and search for a single object using the search function. All I had to do is type in my search term and the tree view filtered faster than Google.

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One of the really cool features is that you can see the SQL script to create the object you’ve selected. whether it’s a table, a view, a column in a table, a procedure, or a role. Very handy! We can also hover over the objects and view the meta data for that object.

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Another neat feature is the ability to take a snapshot of the database. Click the Take Snapshot button at the top of the Object Browser. A nice, clean XML file is the output and can be saved to the location of your choosing.

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To learn more about DBA xPress and download the free trial, head here.

Pragmatic Works, TSQL

Comparing and Syncing Data With Data Inspector

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Earlier this month Pragmatic Works released Workbench. Workbench combines the powerful tools many of you are already using with an entire host of new, powerful features part of DBA xPress.

DBA xPress features tools designed to make designing, maintaining, and administering your SQL Server databases easier than before. Now you can easily do things like visually navigate your databases, visualize schema dependencies, compare, synchronize, script, and navigate schemas, and more.

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One of my personal favorite tools included with DBA xPress is the Data Inspector. Data Inspector allows you to create a comparison between the data stored in two different databases. Not only can you compare the data between databases, but you can also copy the data from one database to another.

With Data Inspector, there are three ways to sync data between databases. Data can either be synced directly between databases with the Data Inspector Synchronization Wizard,

a script can be generated to synchronize the data for you, or a hybrid of the first two options will directly sync the data and generate the script for you.

I’m very excited about this tool and am looking forward to using it to speed up my data warehouse development projects. Head over to PragmaticWorks.com and check out DBA xPress.