Chapter 25. Defining System Administration and Naming Standards

by Ray Rankins

IN THIS CHAPTER

• The SQL Server Environment Approach

• SQL Server Naming Standards

As the number of applications that you deploy on SQL Server increases , you will need to develop standards that enable you to administer your servers in a consistent manner. Most companies that successfully implement SQL Server applications have good standards in place. Standards are defined to provide a foundation for administrative tasks , and often result in the establishment of an infrastructure which allows for easier creation of procedures and scripts to automate database activities.

What if you don't have standards in place? The cost of application development without standards is usually very high. The price is paid in effort and delay, as well as credibility. Client/server is really no different from any other application environment. Success comes from the right mix of discipline and creativity. Thoughtful standards provide the discipline within which creativity can thrive.

This chapter focuses on those core standards that are needed to enable you to further develop procedures within your environment. It looks at two core activities: the management and maintenance of SQL Server environment standards for the different phases of the software development life cycle and the naming standards used in these environments. After you decide on names , directory structure, and how you are going to approach development, you can start building those site-specific procedures and scripts to automate activities in your organization.