Advice needed: Best way to deploy/manage SQL db website

[Bobby Edward]

Here's the situation....

1. Local dev environment is VS2005 and VS2008 / using SQL Express databases
for data
2. Hosting company ONLY supports MS SQL Server 2005 databases

Here are the questions...

1. Should I develop using SQL Express, or would my life be easier if I had
my local dev machine connected to a local SQL Server db? Any advantages or
disadvantages?
2. After I'm done developing the website I want to deploy it in such a way
that if I have to change the database schema (add fields, tables, etc...) in
the future it's easy to do. Any recommendations?

I guess I'm not quite sure as to what is the "proper" way to make db changes
to a db already in production (changes to schema, fields, tables, etc...)?
I'm kind of lost.

What is the best way to do this?

[=?Utf-8?B?UGV0ZXIgQnJvbWJlcmcgW0MjIE1WUF0=?=]

There is NO DIFFERENCE between a SQLEXPRESS database and a SQL Server 2005
database. The only issue you may run into is the fact that SQLEXPRESS can use
the "User Instance" connection string which web hosting companies do not
support, as it is only supported for localhost operation. Download the Sql
Server "Database Publishing Wizard" (free from Microsoft) to create a SQL
script that allows you to migrate your local database to your hoster. Take
the time to "RTFM".
-- Peter
Site: http://www.eggheadcafe.com
UnBlog: htp://petesbloggerama.blogspot.com
Short Urls & more: http://ittyurl.net
"Bobby Edward" wrote:

Here's the situation....

1. Local dev environment is VS2005 and VS2008 / using SQL Express databases
for data
2. Hosting company ONLY supports MS SQL Server 2005 databases

Here are the questions...

1. Should I develop using SQL Express, or would my life be easier if I had
my local dev machine connected to a local SQL Server db? Any advantages or
disadvantages?
2. After I'm done developing the website I want to deploy it in such a way
that if I have to change the database schema (add fields, tables, etc...) in
the future it's easy to do. Any recommendations?

I guess I'm not quite sure as to what is the "proper" way to make db changes
to a db already in production (changes to schema, fields, tables, etc...)?
I'm kind of lost.

What is the best way to do this?