Looking for a Better Data Dictionary tool 1

[JohnBates]

hi all,

I have a "poor man's" data-dictionary in place here.

I run this weekly to collect column name, length, data type etc for all columns in our user tables. Before I add a column to a table, I check ColumnAttributes to see if any other tables contain that column name and what length, data type was used:

INSERT INTO ColumnAttributes
SELECT * from information_schema.columns

This was cheap(free$), easy to develop and has met our needs fairly well, but I'm sure there are better ways.

I don't want something that is complex or expensive.

Just wondering what other (small) SQL server IT depts use
to track table-schema/data dictionary information?

Thanks for your ideas.
John

 

[Catadmin]

We use SQL Reporting Services where I've created a bunch of SPs to show the tables, the columns, the primary keys and any dependencies.

It works fairly well, though it took me two weeks of crash course learning RS to get it right.

Let me know if you need more detail on how to create one.



Catadmin - MCDBA, MCSA
"If a person is Microsoft Certified, does that mean that Microsoft pays the bills for the funny white jackets that tie in the back???