Sql-server – Make View Supersede Table in Same Database

sql-server-2008-r2view

For testing purposes we have a sanitized copy of our production database in our test world. Because of the way it is sanitized, we now have empty fields where encrypted data previously existed. We would like to be able to run against the database and have dummy data appear to be in the empty sanitized fields.

My initial thought is to have views with the same name as the sanitized tables that would return dummy (probably fixed) data in the empty fields. However, my understanding is that a View cannot exist with the same name as a Table. Is it possible to work around this?

My first thought was to use schemas, but I don't know enough about schemas at the moment. My second thought is to have a second "wrapper" database that references objects in the first database.

Is there a common practice for handling this sort of task?

Best Answer

You could use an updatable view as a proxy in front of the base table behind it. The view should behave the same way the table did, with some exceptions (for example, TRUNCATE will not work).

The table can the have any name because it is never referenced by app code.

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Sql-server – Output into temporary table

You must create a temp table with Audit.ErrorLog Columns and then get output records.

Declare @temp Table (ErrorLogID Int, ErrorReported Int, Error NVarChar(100))

UPDATE Audit.ErrorLog 
SET ErrorReported = 0 
OUTPUT inserted.* 
INTO @temp  

SELECT * 
FROM @temp  
FOR XML PATH('Error'), ROOT ('Errors')

Sql-server – Auditing specific database events

SQL Server 2008 (r1) introduced Extended Events and with that came SQL Server Audit and works similar to XEvents to audit events. So it is less intrusive than C2 Auditing and server side traces.

It is very granular and fairly easy to setup. This feature is available in all editions of SQL Server 2008 R2. A good write-up intro/how-to can be found here by Brad McGehee. Thomas LaRock also did a great article on Simple-Talk walking through creating/setting up the audit.

Reading through the articles mentioned above you will note that you can have the events logged to different places (windows app log, file, etc.). From that you can then write PowerShell scripts or T-SQL scripts to alert you of whatever you want. Much more easy than screwing with C2 Audit trace files.

Best Answer

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Sql-server – Output into temporary table

Sql-server – Auditing specific database events

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