techniques for updated sqlserver databases in bulk

Question

How do you go about updating (schema changes etc.) sql server databases accross many servers? (including the same server).

Say I have 5 sql server's on seperate boxes, each one having 100 different databases (all for the same application).

Now say version 2.5 is out, and you have to update all the databases to the current schema.

Are there tools where you can point them to the servers and which db's you want to update, and it returns the progress of each database update and reports any errors etc?

Answer 1

Redgate's SQL Compare is a bit pricey, but it does exactly what you want to do.

You point it at a reference database, and it identifies the differences between that and any other database you point it to, optionally making the changes there and then, or giving you a script and letting you do it later.

It also works with data, but you probably don't want that ;)