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SQL Server 2012 Environments Setup Best Practice
We are a small consulting shop, with about 12 end users for SSAS and SSRS. We at the point we need a separate DEV environment. So is it better to create another instance for the DEV environment, or because of low use, is making simply a DEV copy of the database within our 1 environment acceptable?
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Since it's Dev and serious issues could occur, I would prefer to isolate it from production. It doesn't need to be on a larger server, but you're better off having it separate. As to low use, in theory, it should get quite a bit of use, just not 24/7 like a production machine.
I highly suggest a new instance. Someone, at some point, **will** make a mistake and run the DEV updates/deletes on PROD if the dBs are side by side.
As per Grant's isolation suggestion - throw it on a virtual. You've lessened the chances of mistakes, you won't be impacting resources for PROD and by running on a lesser system you'll see performance issues far earlier.
And by separating to another system you can also change the security so that people aren't accidently dropping tables in production.
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