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Applies to: 
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Database lifecycle management (DLM) is a policy-based approach to managing databases and data assets. DLM isn't a product but a comprehensive approach to managing the database schema, data, and metadata for a database application. A thoughtful and proactive approach to DLM enables an organization to manage data resources according to appropriate levels of performance, protection, availability, and cost.
DLM begins with discussion of project design and intent, continues with database develop, test, build, deploy, maintain, monitor, and backup activities, and ends with data archive. This article provides an overview of the stages of DLM that begin with database development and progress through build, deploy, and monitor actions. Also included are data management activities, and data portability operations like import/export, backup, migrate, and sync.
For tools, tutorials, and more information, see the following articles:
Database projects
- SQL database projects
- Install SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for Visual Studio
- Azure SQL Database Projects extension
- Getting started with the SQL Database Projects extension
SqlPackage
- SqlPackage
- SqlPackage Export parameters and properties
- SqlPackage Import parameters and properties
- DaxFx on GitHub
BACPAC
- Export to a BACPAC file - Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance
- Import a BACPAC file to create a new database
- Tutorial: Import SQL BACPAC files with ARM templates
DACPAC