SQL. Using multiple db schemas to reduce cost?

Question

Is it a good idea to use different schemas inside one large database instead different db instances to reduce cost?

The schema would be absolutely the same, just different names. For example I have one db for test environment, one for beta and for production etc. Can I collapse all these dbs into one large with different schema names without any issues in future?

Does this approach has some pitfalls?

Answer 1

Best practice recommendations is definitely to separate dev/test from production. You don't want your developers or testers running some test case where a rogue query brings the entire server to its knees.

But for the dev and test/qa environments you could use the same server but separate instances (SQL server installations on same physical hardware).

You might even be able to get by with SQL Server Express for dev and test/qa environments, which is a free version. SQL Server Express 2012 allows for 10 GB database size now I think.