SQL Server deployment options for Octopus Deploy

Alex Yates discusses various database source control and deployment tools for SQL Server users of Octopus Deploy, highlighting the differences between model-based and migration-based solutions. Model-based tools focus on scripting the desired end state of a database, while migration-based tools execute an ordered list of scripts against the target database. Yates advises against creating home-grown solutions due to their complexity and cost, suggesting instead the use of popular tools like SSDT, Redgate's SQL Change Automation and SQL Source Control, Entity Framework Migrations, Flyway, and DbUp, each with its own advantages and challenges. He emphasizes the importance of choosing a tool that fits the team's specific needs, considering factors like IDE preferences, budget, and complexity. Yates, with his extensive experience in the database DevOps space, encourages teams to avoid reinventing the wheel and to utilize existing tools that have been refined by the community.