Re: Modelling Tools

"Sarah Turner" <Scaryturnip_at_btopenworld.com> wrote in message news:<9r266q$l6t$1_at_neptunium.btinternet.com>...
> Hi
>
> I wondered if anyone had info/comments about modelling tools currently on
> the market. I am looking for a tool which models LDMs and maps to a
> separate (often quite different) PDM. The mapping between the 2 needs to be
> really flexible, as we have examples of one entity mapping to two in
> physical design, many physical columns mapping to one attribute in the LDM
> etc etc.
>
> We are currently using COOL:Business Team, but this is no longer developed
> and only supported on Win95 and NT, so we need to migrate to a new system
> ASAP.
>
> Any comments/recommendations/URLs gratefully received.
>
> Cheers
>
> ST

Hi,
I have used PowerDesigner's Data Architect very successfully for this task.
It allows you to create a Conceptual Data Model, then generate a Physical Data Model. This corresponds to a normalized Database design. Then the product allows you to create 'Sub-Models' which can import some or none of the Tables in the 'normalized' design. In this way, it is possible to create a number of tailored physical denormalized designs from one normalized design. This goes some way to helping managing change in the situation you describe.

I have a list of Data Modelling Tools on this page of my Database Answers Web Site (although ERWin is the only other one I have used extensively) :-

   http://www.databaseanswers.com/modelling_tools.htm

I have created over 60 Kick-Start Data Models in Data Architect (and many of them show both a Conceptual and a Physical Data Model) :-  http://www.databaseanswers.com/data_models/index.htm

Barry Williams
Principal Consultant
Database Answers Received on Wed Oct 24 2001 - 23:36:50 CEST