CA ERwin Data Modeler

ERwin Data Modeler (ERwin) is a software tool for data modeling (data requirements analysis, database design etc.) of custom developed information systems, including databases of transactional systems and data marts. ERwin's data modeling engine is based upon the IDEF1X method, although it now supports diagrams displayed with information engineering notation as well. Logic Works stylised "ERwin" from an abbreviation of "Entity Relationships" and Microsoft's "Windows".

ERwin is the market leading solution with over 30% market share per an October, 2015 analyst report.^[1]

History

ERwin CASE tool on Windows 2000

ERwin was created by Logic Works. It was acquired in 1998 by Platinum Technology, which was later acquired in May 1999 by Computer Associates, who added it to their AllFusion suite under the name AllFusion ERwin Data Modeler. The tool was later renamed to CA ERwin Data Modeler.

In 2014 Embarcadero Technologies sought to acquire the product from CA, Inc..^[2] This acquisition was blocked by the Department of Justice over anti-competitive concerns.^[3]

As of April 5, 2016, Private equity firm Parallax Capital Partners completed the acquisition of data modeling software ERwin from CA Technologies. It now operates as ERwin, Inc., and is led by IT industry veteran Adam Famularo, who is now CEO of ERwin, Inc.^[4]

Distinguishing features

• Logical Data Modeling: Purely logical models may be created, from which physical models may be derived. Combinations of logical and physical models are also supported. Supports entity-type and attribute logical names and descriptions, logical domains and data types, as well as relationship naming.
• Physical Data Modeling: Purely physical models may be created as well as combinations of logical and physical models. Supports the naming and description of tables and columns, user defined data types, primary keys, foreign keys, alternative keys and the naming and definition of constraints. Support for indexes, views, stored procedures and triggers is also included.
• Logical-to-Physical Transformation: Includes an abbreviation/naming dictionary called "Naming Standards Editor" and a logical-to-RDBMS data type mapping facility called "Datatype Standards Editor", both of which are customizable with entries and basic rule enforcement.
• Forward engineering: Once the database designer is satisfied with the physical model, the tool can automatically generate a SQL Data Definition Language (DDL) script that can either be directly executed on the RDBMS environment or saved to a file.
• Reverse engineering: If an analyst needs to examine and understand an existing data structure, ERwin will depict the physical database objects in an ERwin model file.
• Model-to-model comparison: The "Complete/Compare" facility allows an analyst or designer to view the differences between two model files (including real-time reverse-engineered files), for instance to understand changes between two versions of a model.
• An "Undo" feature is available from version 7.
• Bulk Editor: CA ERwin Data Modeler has a unique Bulk Editor feature that enable users to edit a collection of objects in a single editing session
• Active Model Templates: Derive new models from template models. Changes in template model can be automatically synchronized into all derived models
• API (Application Programming Interface) Support: ERwin provides a programming interface to automate tasks that involve reading/writing of data models
• Domains (Column Domains): ERwin has the concept of domains that defines characteristics of attributes/columns in a model. It acts as a library of attributes/columns so it can be re-used across entities/tables and centrally managed through a flexible property inheritance/over-ride mechanism.
• Model Repository and version management: ERwin has a very powerful integrated model repository for change management (Workgroup edition) that supports metadata governance, version-ing, multi-user modeling, etc.

Physical Modeling support

• DB2 iSeries 5.x/6.x/7.x
• DB2 LUW 9.x/10.x
• DB2 ZOS 8.1/9.1/10/11
• Informix 7.x/9.x/10.x/11.x
• MySQL 5.x/6.x
• ODBC/Generic 2.0/3.0
• Oracle 10g/11g/12c
• Progress 9.x/10.x
• SAS
• SQL Azure (using SQL Azure extension)
• MS SQL Server 2008,2012/2014
• Sybase (ASE) 15/16
• Sybase IQ 12.x
• Teradata 13/13.1/14/14.1/15
• Other databases are accessible through ODBC drivers as well as metadata bridges

Limitations

Versions prior to CA ERwin Data Modeler 9.2 had only been certified on the 32-bit versions of the Windows operating systems. As of Version 9.64, ERwin Data Modeler has binaries for both 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows; users receive both versions for the same license.

Associated products

• ERwin Web Portal (Data Governance Edition r9.64 November 2015)
• ERwin Web Portal (added with CA ERwin r8.2 in February 2012, versions current with the Data Governance Edition)
• ERwin Safyr Option for ERP

See also

• CA Software Change Manager
• Computer-aided software engineering

Publications

• DeAngelis, Carla (2000). Data Modeling with ERwin. Sams. ISBN 0-672-31868-7. 

References

External links

• Official website
• CA Technologies releases the new version of its ERwin data modeling application, r9, October 16, 2012