CA ERwin Data Modeler Update Packs Plenty

The product plays a critical role in CA's AllFusion solution, which includes UML modeling and component development, change management and application management.

ERwin 4.1 is now able to manage multiple models and allow a number of database administrators (DBAs) and developers to work on the same models. The models can now be saved in a central database on the network, where anyone can access them.

The new version is capable of handling access conflicts, providing impact analysis on any changes made to a model, restricting users from any section of a model through security settings, and tracking any changes made to a model. ERwin 4.1 provides version control through its model manager facilities.

The types of models available to developers have also changed with the new version, allowing DBAs to work with logical models or physical models or both simultaneously. ERwin can also recreate models by reading script file dumps, providing users access to model information without using a live database.

ERwin works with IDEF, information-engineering and dimensional-modeling methodologies. The new version supports a full color palette to enhance any section of a graphical diagram. Developers can color-code keys inside table diagrams for easy identification. The new UI also includes a model explorer, which groups tables and database elements in a Windows Explorer-like view and makes it easy to identify relationships.

ERwin can easily reverse- and forward-engineer databases by creating logical and physical graphical models and by allowing instant bidirectional synchronization between the two.

When performing a reverse-engineering operation, the tool can filter any object such as triggers, stored procedures and tables to build the model. Filtering also can be based on the owners and users associated with the database.

One of the most powerful features of ERwin 4.1 is its ability to infer table relationships. Assuming table keys and relationships are not available when reverse-engineering a database, the tool will use indexes or names of fields to deduce table relationships.

The Data Modeler supports Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase, DB2, AS/400 and many other legacy databases. A generic ODBC driver is included to work with any database not readily supported. For databases that are supported, ERwin provides native-driver access to enhance performance.