Hi,

While in the DBF world I have used the following strategy to update customer tables as their structure evolves: (Note: we have only been using free tables).

1) Create a template directory with empty tables with the new structure.
2) Guided by a TABLDICT table that contains a list of all application tables compare structure and index of customer tables to those in template directory. If there are changes in structure or indices, rename customer table; copy empty table with new structure to customer directory; and append records form old table.
3) The next time the application executes, run a procedure that does any required tweaking.

Now I am staring to use SQL Server and am told that is not an appropriate method. A well recognized SQL Server expert told me that they make all changes to database structure using a special tool (developed in house, I presumed) that maintains an audit trail of all changes so that they can be automatically applied at customer's sites.

I didn't have the guts to ask for a copy of that tool, because I got the impression it was proprietary. Can anybody recommend a tool for that purpose?

TIA,

Alex