What's the best tool for managing database evolution/versioning? [closed]

Question

We need a tool for dealing with database evolution/versioning. And we need the best! :)

Can you expert guys help us to find a great tool that has these features?

• Conceptual Model: The tool must work with a conceptual model so that the working schema can be translated to different DBMSs
• Versioning: The tool must understand the concept of version. The user is always working on a version or future version of the schema. As every version must be born from a parent version, the tool must be able generate evolution scripts from version A to version B, of course, with support to different DBMSs
• Templating: The tool must come with full conceptual/physical translation support for major DBMSs but if, by any reason, we need to alter the way it translates a particular information from the conceptual model to the physical model, we must be able to interfer by using templates

Thank you

Answer 1

If you have access to Microsoft tools, Visual Studio Team Edition for Database professionals is a great tool. It provides a great IDE for designing and viewing database schemas, data comparison and merging, schema comparison and merging, and a hook into a source control system (TFS, or something else) for versioning.

It also has configurable output based on the server type you are deploying to: dev, test, staging, prod can call have different configurations and security pre-set for deploy.

Visual Studio is pricey if you aren't using it for anything else, and you dont have an MSDN subscription, but it's a great tool.

HTH

Answer 2

I was using "DeZing for Databases" a while ago. Worked for me pretty well.

Answer 3

I've used Embarcadero Change Manager and the Visual Studio Team System 2008 Database Edition with satisfactory results from both. The Embarcadero product might closer to what you are describing in your post but at the end of the day I presume you would test drive before buying the car.