DB  Alters During
"The Freeze"

What we've done in the past

• Table changes applied just prior to code releases
• Alters were either Developer -> DBA notification
• Or DBA <- Developer 'pulls'

Why not "Keep Doing It Like We Have Always Done"(tm)

• We miss things
• Then things break
• Then we get in trouble

A New Hope

or 

A New Way Of Doing this

• We will create file(s) in the Code repository
  • maybe one file per DB
  • or one per Release Unit
  • or one per Feature Branch with DB changes
• As code requiring DB changes is checked in, devs add to the file required alters for the feature->dev branch merge
• Annotate the alters with the Ticket and maybe developer name
• Commit alter file(s) in feature branch and merge to 'dev' with the associated code

When merging Release Unit to Master during the thaw

• Step 1: DBA's evaluate alters in the file(s)
• Step 2: Alters are made via appropriate tool
• Step 3: ???
• Step 4: Merge and publish release unit code
• Step 5: Profit!

Example

# SRCH-1234 dfetterman

ALTER TABLE rkexample.demotable
ADD COLUMN demonstration varchar(100) not null;

# SRCH-1357 otherdevname

ALTER TABLE rkexample.demotable

MODIFY COLUMN demonstration varchar(256) default null;

Result

# SRCH-1234 dfetterman

ALTER TABLE rkexample.demotable
ADD COLUMN demonstration varchar(100) not null;

# SRCH-1357 otherdevname

ALTER TABLE rkexample.demotable

MODIFY COLUMN demonstration varchar(256) default null;

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