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Release database changes across environments

Use NineData schema design and release workflows to move database changes from development to testing, staging, and production in a controlled order. The workflow helps teams keep release content consistent, trace execution results, and reduce manual handoffs.

Problems The Workflow Solves​

Manual database releases often create risks:

  • DBAs have to collect and reorder changes from multiple developers.
  • SQL may be approved in one tool but executed manually in another.
  • Changes that passed testing may be modified before production.
  • Execution results are hard to trace across environments.

NineData addresses these risks with a fixed release framework and automated task tracking.

How The Release Model Works​

In a typical release process:

  • Data sources are assigned to environments such as development and production.
  • A release process defines the order in which changes move across environments.
  • The baseline data source is used as the first environment where changes are submitted.
  • Later environments can be restricted to changes that were successfully executed in earlier environments.
  • SQL development standards and approval processes can be applied at each step.

Before you begin​

Before you create a release process, make sure that:

  • All target data sources have been added to NineData.
  • Each data source is assigned to the correct environment.
  • SQL development standards and approval processes are configured.
  • You have permission to create release processes and schema design tasks.

Configure The Release Workflow​

1. Add Data Sources​

Add the data sources that participate in the release process and select the correct environment for each data source.

Add data sources for release workflow

Select data source environment

If the default environments do not match your process, create custom environments.

Create a custom environment

2. Create A Release Process And Bind Data Sources​

Create a release process that matches your environment order.

Create a release process

For each node, configure restrictions such as whether users can roll back to the previous node, skip the current node, or modify SQL.

Configure release node restrictions

Select a node and bind the data source for that environment.

Bind data sources to a release node

If your process only includes development and production, use the default process and bind the relevant data sources.

Create A Schema Design And Release Task​

  1. Open the task creation page.

  2. Select the baseline data source. This is the data source for the first environment in the release process. In this example, the baseline data source is the development environment.

    Select the baseline data source

  3. Enter the change SQL.

    Enter change SQL

    Create schema design and release task

  4. Select Create Structure Design and Release to start the process.

  5. In each environment, collaborators can submit change tasks based on the process configuration. Each task can go through SQL standard checks and manual approval.

    Review release task execution

  6. After all changes in the current environment are executed, select Enter the Next Node.

    Move to the next release node

  7. In later nodes, submit only the changes that were successfully executed in the baseline environment. If the administrator restricts SQL modification or execution order, the production release remains consistent with earlier test results.

    Submit baseline changes in the next environment

  8. Review execution results. When the final node finishes, select Enter the Next Node again to finish the process.

    Complete the database release workflow

Result​

Database changes are released across environments in the configured order. The task record shows review status, execution status, and the release path, helping teams confirm that production changes match the tested baseline.

Next Steps​