CA 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.

History [edit]

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.

Distinguishing features [edit]

• 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 in version 7.

Competitors [edit]

Competitors include:

• Embarcadero ER/Studio
• ModelRight
• DeZign for Databases
• Oracle Designer
• Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler
• Sybase PowerDesigner and IBM Data Architect.
• Microsoft Visio

Associated products [edit]

• CA ERwin Web Portal
• CA ERwin Saphir Option for ERP

See also [edit]

• CA Software Change Manager
• Computer-aided software engineering

Publications [edit]

• Burbank, Donna (2011). Data Modeling Made Simple with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8. Technics Publications. ISBN 978-1-935504-09-2. 
• DeAngelis, Carla (2000). Data Modeling with ERwin. Sams. ISBN 0-672-31868-7. 

External links [edit]

• CA ERwin Data Modeler on ca.com.
• CA Technologies releases the new version of its ERwin data modeling application, r9, October 16, 2012.

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