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Can you recommend a good self service solution for creating SQL Databases? Our dev and test teams need to frequently create new databases. I would like to keep these databases as close to production configuration as possible but I would like them to be able to create this on their own without me being in the picture? We are a VMWare shop, so I prefer solutions that work with VMWare.

[Edit - Clarifying the question. Need to install a SQL server from scratch. Create a new VM, Install SQL and create a new DB]

Thanks, Joe

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How is VMWare relevant? They create databases on a SQL Server instance, which they must connect to using SSMS/PowerShell/C#/what have you, and that instance is running on Windows. Whether Windows is physical or virtual shouldn't really have any bearing... – Aaron Bertrand♦ May 31 '12 at 23:43
What's stopping you from adding their logins to the dbcreator role or granting the CREATE ANY DATABASE permission so they can run the appropriate build script? – Mark Storey-Smith Jun 1 '12 at 0:05

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You can look at ScaleGrid SQLDirector (http://www.scalegrid.net/sqldirector.htm). Its a database as a service for the private cloud. We support VMware, HyperV and XenServer.

PS: I work for ScaleGrid.

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Sounds interesting. I will try out the Beta and compare it to vCloud Director. – JoeDBA Seattle Jun 1 '12 at 1:53
I spent some time looking at both the solutions. vCloud Director is a little too heavyweight for what I am looking for. I played around with ScaleGrid SQLDirector and its pretty cool. It integrates directly with VMWare and also has a self service console :) – JoeDBA Seattle Jun 1 '12 at 17:38
up vote 1 down vote

Following your comment, I'm not entirely sure this question is a good fit for this site but:

  • VMWare vCloud Director for self-service VM creation.
  • If you're SQL2008R2+ you can SYSPREP a SQL installation. Alternatively, the standard install process shouldn't be a challenge for a SQL literate developer or sysadmin.
  • As for creating a database... anyone that can't do so probably shouldn't be coding against SQL Server.

If you're a Microsoft shop and your developers are MSDN licensed, you might want to expand the scope of this idea and take a look at Visual Studio 2010 Lab Management.

Visual Studio Lab Management is an extension of Microsoft Test Manager that helps you to optimize the use of Microsoft Hyper-V technology to manage and use virtual machines in testing, building, and developing applications in Visual Studio 2010. Visual Studio Lab Management is integrated with System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) to enable you manage multiple physical computers that host virtual machines and to manage the storage of virtual machines, virtual machine templates, and other configuration files in SCVMM library servers.

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