Data Generator in the DevOps process

Last modified: March 28, 2025

Data Generator for SQL Server can be directly involved in the Continuous Integration (CI) process via the PowerShell cmdlets that can automate the generation of realistic test data during database development.

To start using Data Generator in the DevOps process, make sure that:

• dbForge DevOps Automation for SQL Server and Data Generator for SQL Server are installed on your computer. For more information about the installation of Data Generator, see Installing.
• PowerShell version is 3.0 or higher.

Note

By default, PowerShell is installed on Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11. For other versions, download PowerShell from the Microsoft official download center page.

To check the current version of PowerShell, open WindowsPowerShell and execute the $PSVersionTable.PSVersion command. In the Major column, you can see the version currently installed on your computer.

Install dbForge DevOps Automation PowerShell for SQL Server

dbForge DevOps Automation for SQL Server is supplied as part of dbForge SQL Tools (Professional version) and automatically includes dbForge DevOps Automation PowerShell for SQL Server.

To install dbForge DevOps Automation PowerShell for SQL Server:

1. Go to the download page and click Get for free.

2. On the Devart Identity Server page, sign in to your account and then click Download. If you don’t have a Devart account, you need to sign up.

3. After the download is complete, navigate to the folder with the downloads and run the sqltoolspro.exe file to install dbForge DevOps Automation PowerShell for SQL Server.

4. In the dbForge SQL Tools Professional installer, click Install.

Note

Prior to installing the tool, make sure that SSMS instances are closed.

5. On the Select Products page, make sure that the dbForge DevOps Automation PowerShell for SQL Server check box is selected. Then, click Next.

Note

If you have not installed Data Generator for SQL Server yet, in this step select the Data Generator for SQL Server check box as well.

6. After the installation is complete, click Finish. The Devart.DbForge.DevOpsAutomation.SqlServer module with a set of cmdlets appears in Windows PowerShell.

You can check the full list of requirements to run dbForge DevOps Automation on the Requirements and Compatibility page.

Create a data generation project in Data Generator for SQL Server

To create a data generation project:

1. Open Data Generator on your computer and click .

2. In Data Generation Wizard, choose the required Connection and Database. Click Open.

3. In the project window that opens, choose the tables to be populated and configure all the necessary settings.

4. Either click the button or press Ctrl+S.

5. Choose the path to save your project. You will use this path in a PowerShell script later.

Generate data using the Invoke-DevartPopulate cmdlet

The Invoke-DevartPopulate cmdlet populates a database with sample data.

To generate data using PowerShell cmdlet:

1. Run Windows PowerShell on your computer.

2. In Windows PowerShell, execute the PowerShell script to run unit tests.

# Defining variables
$ServerName = "JORDANS\SQL2019ENT"
$DatabaseName = "AdventureWorks2019"
$DataGeneratorProject = "D:\data_generator\AdventureWorks2019.dgen"

# Create a database connection
Write-Host "Creating a database connection..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$Connection = New-DevartSqlDatabaseConnection -Server $ServerName -database $DatabaseName -UserName SA

# Populate a database
Write-Host "Populating a database..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Invoke-DevartPopulate -DataGeneratorProject $DataGeneratorProject -Connection $Connection

Parameters used in the script

Video tutorial

Watch the video tutorial to learn how to use dbForge Data Generator in DevOps process: