Expanding the Suite

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Today’s a big day for Team System! It was only two years ago when we announced a new integrated suite of software development life-cycle tools, and we just shipped the final installment of that suite a couple of months ago. Today, we’re expanding Team System (and more specifically, Team Suite) with a new role-based edition:

Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Database Professionals

For the official announcement, see the press release on Microsoft PressPass.

This new addition to Team System provides integrated tools to:

  • Take Control of Database Change – Manipulate database schema offline, utilize integrated change control, and automatically produce change scripts to implement modifications.
  • Automate Database Testing – Create and run database unit tests using T-SQL or managed code.
  • Improve Collaboration and Communication – Join architects, developers, project managers, and testers as part of a cohesive software development team using Team Foundation Server for work items, version control, reporting, communication, and more.

In addition to a new T-SQL editor, which includes parallel execution and viewing of execution plans, Team Edition for Database Pros introduces:

  • Rename Refactoring – Rename any database object and automatically update all referencing objects.
  • SchemaCompare – Script schema updates based on the comparison of two database schemas.
  • DataCompare – Script data updates based on the comparison of data in two databases.
  • DataGenerator – Create data generation plans based on production databases for more realistic test data.

Be sure to visit the new Database Professionals Team Center on MSDN. Here you’ll find screenshots, a link to a growing FAQ, and more content still to come.

In addition, several members of the product team are launching their blogs today. I welcome you to pay them a visit to gain insight on how they’re thinking and to provide them with your feedback.

If you’re attending Tech-Ed this year, be sure to attend the breakout sessions, chalk talks, and other activities to learn more.

In June, we plan to ship the first Community Technology Preview (CTP) of this new product, which should indicate that we’re talking about actual bits here, not vaporware.

We’re also launching a new forum for discussing Team Edition for Database Pros. You can find it in the Team System forum group as Visual Studio Team System - Database Professionals.

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