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Database Schema Refactoring and Migrations

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A failed schema upgrade can ruin your day, week, or career

After developing an application upgrade with a partner site several states away, we were finally deploying.  And it wasn't going well.

The upgrade included several schema upgrades.  Those upgrades and the required data migration were scripted.  Good.  The development database schema didn't match the production schema.  Bad. Their answer?  "Run the script again and see if it works."  Bad, bad.  Two hours later, we had to roll back to the previous application.  They had backups.  Good.  They had no idea how to restore from their backups.  Oh... oh no, bad, bad, bad!

At that point I had been using ActiveRecord::Migrations for painless database upgrades for months, so i knew there was a better way, but a Ruby tool was a tough sell for this client.  Developers in all languages deserve an easy and repeatable way to upgrade their databases on deploy day, and this lens should put someone on the right track. 

Schema Refactoring Around the Web


Track and record database schema versions
My first search for information regarding schema upgrades
turned up this article. It still holds true, and it provides
the foundational knowledge required for implementing schema
migrations from a technical and administrative point of view.


Evolutionary Database Design
Matt Stevens interviews Scott Ambler concerning his work in the field of
database refactoring. Scott is a heavyweight in the field. Want proof?
Keep reading, he's the author two books listed below.

Books About Database Refactoring and Schema Migrations

These books go through the theory and mechanics of database schema migration in great detail. If you would like to avoid ad hoc migration plans, these books are well worth a read. Or maybe you simply learn better with a dead tree open on your desk.
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Language Specific Libraries

Many popular application languages now have support for database schema refactoring and migrations in the form of libraries.

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Please check out DBmaestro for Database solutions (Refactoring, Migrations, and all sort of management!) Don't hesitate contact DBmaestro with any questions or requests.2 points

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Ruby: ActiveRecord::Migration

The first introduction to a standard, cross platform database schema
migration framework for many developers. Some developers are working
on non-linear support to manage migrations across multiple branches of
a project.0 points

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Lisp: cl-migrations

"Anything you can do, I can do better" seems to be the motto of Lispers
everywhere. In this case, the ActiveRecord::Migrations code was
ported to lisp. How is this better than the original? Well, it's in
lisp, and that's a strong enough argument for most lisp programmers. (No flames, please, I'm learning lisp in my spare moments. I see the benefits!)0 points

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Perl: DBIx::Migration

Migrations written in SQL, with common code shared and vendor specific SQL allowed.0 points

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PHP: CakePHP Migrations

Migrations are written in YAML. A great screencast was recently published to walk developers through the process of using Migrations with CakePHP as well.0 points

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Python: migrate

Migrate provides linear database schema management for Python
applications that use the SqlAlchemy library for database access. And who doesn't use the SqlAlchemy library for database access?0 points

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Python Package Index : tgmigrate 0.2

TurboGears meets Migrate.0 points

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Java: LiquiBase

A database refactoring tool for Java. Of course, the actual migrations are written in XML. How could they resist?0 points

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Full Convert: Advanced database conversion/migration

Full Convert is a sophisticated database converter - supporting 16 database engines (Microsoft Access, dBase, FoxPro, Microsoft Excel documents, Interbase / Firebird, Lotus 1-2-3, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, ODBC sources, Paradox, SQL Server, Delimited text files, XML). It is incredibly easy to use while providing unmatched control over the migration process. Built-in scheduler, command-line support, native database connections, built-in schema browser, and more...0 points

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Your Thoughts

How do you handle database schema refactoring and migration? Any horror stories to scare folks straight? Please, share them here!

  • Oct 4, 2010 @ 2:28 am | delete
    Great lens! you have put very nice information in this lens.Impeccably stated.Now our Best Website Designers team connect with your lens.More power!
  • apayah Sep 9, 2010 @ 11:58 am | delete
    digital electronic projects
  • rose08 Sep 15, 2008 @ 9:32 pm | delete
    Yes, data migration is sometimes a headache...check out my summer beach lens for relax...
  • semanticdb Sep 12, 2008 @ 1:41 am | delete
    Hi,

    Database schema refactoring was definitely a nightmare for me. But for the past 1 year I am using Poseidon Database its a Schemaless database which eliminates any kind of data modeling providing the fastest time to start, and needed peace of mind. It comes packed along with Brainwave Platform a complete development and deployment suite. http://www.brainwavelive.com/

    -SW
  • semanticdb Sep 12, 2008 @ 1:41 am | delete
    Hi,

    Database schema refactoring was definitely a nightmare for me. But for the past 1 year I am using Poseidon Database its a Schemaless database which eliminates any kind of data modeling providing the fastest time to start, and needed peace of mind. It comes packed along with Brainwave Platform a complete development and deployment suite. http://www.brainwavelive.com/

    -SW
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by

timfreund

I'm a web application developer who works with Java, Python, and Ruby. I have personally used database migration tools with TurboGears and Ruby on Rail... more »

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