Comparing Databases with SchemaDrift

Podcast: Tackling Schema Drift with Schema Drift from Stedman Solutions

Alright, folks, let’s set the stage. Schema Drift is what happens when the structure of your databases—like tables, columns, indexes—starts to differ between environments that should be identical. Maybe a developer tweaks a table in dev but forgets to push it to production, or a hotfix in prod doesn’t make it back to test. Before you know it, your app’s querying a column that doesn’t exist, and chaos ensues. I’ve been there—trust me, it’s not fun. That’s where Schema Drift comes in, a free tool from Stedman Solutions that lets you compare databases and catch these differences fast. Today, I’ll walk you through how it works, using a setup I threw together with SQL Server 2022 and an old SQL 2008 instance. Spoiler: it’s a game-changer.

Connecting to SQL Server and Setting Up the Comparison

So, imagine I’m firing up SchemaDrift on my machine. I’ve already got it connected to a SQL Server 2022 instance called MultiSQL—my playground with a bunch of developer editions installed. I click “Connect,” punch in my database name—let’s say “DBHealthHistory”—and hit go. Now, I want to compare this to another server, so I connect to a SQL 2008 instance I’ve got lying around. I enter my SA password (don’t judge, it’s a test box!), and we’re ready to roll. Why these two? Well, DBHealthHistory is a database I use with Stedman’s Database Health Monitor, and I know some features evolved between 2008 and 2022—perfect for spotting drift.

In SchemaDrift, I select both servers and the same database name on each. The tool’s got a bunch of checkboxes—tables, stored procedures, indexes, you name it—to decide what to compare. I uncheck “fill factor on indexes” because those tend to vary and clutter the results, and “whitespace differences”—extra spaces or carriage returns? Not worth my time. There’s also an option to ignore merge Replication objects, which is brilliant if you’ve got Replication in play. Those system-generated triggers and tables can flood your diff report, and honestly, I’m more interested in user objects. With my settings dialed in, I hit “Compare” and let Schema Drift do its magic.

Why SchemaDrift Rocks

SchemaDrift isn’t just a comparison tool—it’s a workflow savior. Whether you’re aligning SQL 2008 with 2022, syncing dev to prod, or versioning in source control, it’s got you covered. Free from Stedman Solutions, it’s a no-brainer for DBAs on a budget. The interface is intuitive, the scripting is spot-on, and those ignore options (replication, whitespace) keep the noise down. Sure, it’s not Redgate-level polish, but for zero cost, it punches way above its weight.

Wrap-Up: Taming Schema Drift

That’s a wrap, folks! SchemaDrift from Stedman Solutions is your ticket to mastering Schema Drift—spotting it, fixing it, and keeping your databases in lockstep. From cross-server diffs to source control syncs, it’s practical, powerful, and free. Next time your prod and test databases start drifting apart, fire this up—you’ll thank me later. Until next episode, keep those queries humming and your schemas tight!

Download SchemaDrift today at https://schemadrift.com/schemadrift-download/ and it is also included in the Database Health Monitor program https://DatabaseHealth.com/download2. Download today and try it out. No commitment.

Take a look at the Stedman SQL Podcast season 2 episode 7 that has a complete demo of SchemaDrift.