Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise 2017 Gets Redgate DevOps Tools

The Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise 2017 integrated development platform just got more useful for programmers thanks to newly-included DevOps tools from Redgate Software that can be easily installed along with the suite.

The Redgate Data Tools, which previously were available only as a separate add-on for Visual Studio users, are now included by Microsoft out of the box with the Visual Studio Enterprise 2017 version for the first time. The Enterprise version was unveiled by Microsoft along with several other all-new Visual Studio versions on March 7.

Included in the Redgate Data Tools are ReadyRoll Core, which lets users develop, source control and better automate the deployment of SQL Server database changes alongside their application changes; SQL Prompt Core, which offers increased productivity with advanced Intellisense-style code completion; and SQL Search, which complements ongoing DevOps methodologies by allowing users to work more quickly and accurately with SQL. All three tools are included only in the Enterprise version of Visual Studio 2017. The SQL Search tool is also included in the Community and Professional versions of Visual Studio 2017.

Redgate, which has been offering Microsoft SQL Server tools for about 15 years, said its Redgate Data Tools give developers the ability to effectively extend DevOps processes to Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL databases as they build them.

The addition of the Redgate DevOps tools comes as more and more developers and their companies adopt DevOps methods and systems inside their operations to better meld development programs with IT operations, according to the company. 

Carly Meichen, the technical marketing manager for Redgate, told ITPro that the company's tools are now available through an integration with Microsoft's Visual Studio Enterprise 2017 after discussions between the two companies over the past several years.

"Microsoft wanted to get these three Redgate tools into Visual Studio so they have a more complete [product]," said Meichen. "They're really emphasizing increased productivity and the expansion of the DevOps culture. It takes people inside an organization to develop such a process."

The tools are also expected to help developers speed up their development projects using Visual Studio Enterprise 2017. 

"Redgate tools are a great option for customers who work with SQL Server and Azure SQL databases because they plug into the software they already use for application development," Shawn Nandi, senior director for cloud app development and data product marketing at Microsoft, said in a statement. "By including three of these tools in Visual Studio Enterprise 2017, Redgate has made it easier for customers to implement DevOps practices when building, deploying and maintaining their databases. We think this is an important step forward to help companies extend DevOps practices to all parts of their applications."

Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 was released to general availability on March 7 and continues to be used to develop apps for Android, iOS, Windows, web and the cloud.

Among the key improvements in the application are streamlined cloud development with built-in tools for integration with .NET Core, Azure applications, microservices, Docker containers, and more, according to Microsoft. Visual Studio is also built to be faster and leaner and includes an all-new installation regimen that allows users to install just what they need to do their work.