Creating and Managing Data-tier Applications
Important
To create and manage databases using the latest version of Data Tier Applications (DACPAC), install the most recent release of SQL Server Data Tools from Get Started with Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools.
A data-tier application (DAC) is a single unit of management for developing, deploying, and managing the data-tier resources used by an application. A database developer creates a data-tier application project in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, and adds definitions of the data tier objects used by the application, such as tables, views, and stored procedures. When the project is complete, the developer builds a DAC package file, which contains XML manifests of the objects defined in the DAC. Database administrators use the DAC package to deploy the DAC to test or production instances of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Database Engine, or to SQL Azure.
In This Section
Data-tier Application Overview
Creating Data-tier Application Projects
Adding New Objects to Data-tier Applications
Editing Objects in Data-tier Applications
Configuring the Server Selection Policy
Building Data-tier Application Projects