This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Tim Sneath. Original Post: Best Practices Analyzer for SQL Server Feed Title: Tim Sneath's Blog Feed URL: /msdnerror.htm?aspxerrorpath=/tims/Rss.aspx Feed Description: Random mumblings on Microsoft, .NET, and other topics. Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Tim Sneath Latest Posts From Tim Sneath's Blog

This tool slipped out of Redmond with little fanfare, but it looks quite promising. It does for SQL Server databases roughly what FxCop does for .NET Framework applications: specifically, it scans through the database schemas and associated SQL code using a rules-based engine to identify any deviations from accepted best practices.

It's currently in beta, and I found the tool interface a little idiosyncratic (someone took the Windows Update design metaphor slightly too far, perhaps), but it has a fairly comprehensive set of rules (you can access them here so that you can view them without having to install the product). Each rule seems to be implemented as a separate .NET assembly, but for this beta version there's no documentation on how to create your own rule.

The analyzer tool has a lot of potential value for both developers and DBAs; given that you can analyse a remote server, it's worth loading up on a development workstation to iron out any T-SQL glitches before you release a database into production, and then repeating the process once it's in place to spot any operational oversights.