Training Data Architects: Designing and Modeling Information Systems with ER / Studio

Already not the first generation of schoolchildren and students has mastered the basics and subtleties of computer software development technologies using the example of Turbo Pascal, Delphi or RAD Studio. But the list of “academic” licenses designed to teach IT majors is not limited to programming languages ​​and integrated application development environments. Today we will talk about one more of our products - Embarcadero ER / Studio and its application in the educational process

. Database management experts know how complicated are the processes of documenting, interpreting and achieving full control over the corporate data environment.

To solve these problems, many companies use Embarcadero ER / Studio - a comprehensive solution for visual database modeling, software engineering, business process modeling with support for various industry standards. It is the industry-leading data modeling and information architecture design tool used by a large number of the world's largest companies to discover, document and efficiently manage their information resources based on the data model and rebuild the data architecture to meet changing requirements.

For professionals in the field of working with data, ER / Studio is an effective, simple and convenient set of tools and tools for collaboration of data management specialists, which allows you to create and maintain large corporate databases and data warehouses. The functions provided in the system automate the routine tasks of modeling and allow you to visualize, therefore, quickly understand, analyze and optimize the structure of large databases and data warehouses. The reporting and interaction tools included in the tool contribute to the application of organizational standards and the achievement of high levels of productivity.
ER / Studio Enterprise is a comprehensive product and includes the following tools:

• ER / Studio Data Architect,
• ER / Studio Business Architect,
• ER / Studio Software Architect,
• ER / Studio Repository, CONNECT.

The model management server system and the Internet portal make this solution an effective tool for sharing, documenting and publishing models and metadata in distributed teams.

ER / Studio Data Architect is the most important part of ER / Studio, a visual modeling application designed for independent logical analysis and design of the data architecture, as well as for the physical design and construction of database instances for specific DBMSs.

ER / Studio Data Architect is recommended for use as a practical tool when teaching on topics related to databases and multidimensional information storages.



Using an example of working with ER / Studio Data Architect, students will be able to learn in practice:

• Principles and methods of database design,
• Using ER - diagrams of various notations for designing and visualizing structures of various types of databases, including relational ones
• Perform reverse engineering, analysis and optimization of existing databases.
• Database modeling at a logical level; mapping objects of conceptual, logical, and physical models and finding correspondences within them to view
• Decomposition and integration of models to simplify work with large models
• Modeling multidimensional data warehouses for OLAP and BI systems
• Designing database access strategies
• Modeling constraints and dependencies both inside the database and with elements of external systems
• Design and analysis of information exchange subsystems and ETL processes
• Designing a system for protecting information in a database, managing user rights for access to a database
• Analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of various database models
• The use of modern methods for providing scalability when designing databases
• Building physical implementations of models based on various DBMS platforms, taking into account database performance requirements
• Creating XML Schemas from Logical and Physical Models for Using Models in Various Projects, such as SOA

Practice shows, and leading analytical companies predict that this trend will intensify in the coming years, that the vast majority of companies use more than two different DBMS platforms in their work. And it doesn’t matter what caused it - the presence of long-lived legacy databases or company initiatives to search and use corporate data as an organizational resource and asset, the IT world is very interested in having database specialists and architects well trained to work in multi-platform environments. It is with ER / Studio that the opportunities for training specialists of this level increase many times over.

The most “feature-rich” edition is ER / Studio Enterprise. This edition is distinguished by the simultaneous support of almost all available types of DBMSs (including not necessarily relational ones), including all versions of the same DBMS. ER / Studio Enterprise also added export / import and metadata exchange tools with other modeling tools of leading manufacturing companies.
ER / Studio Enterprise is recommended for training specialists in managing large corporate databases and data warehouses.



In addition to the topics listed in the ER / Studio Data Architect section, this tool allows you to teach:

• More effective diagnostics and analysis of the impact of changes based on universal mappings, trace data transformations, corporate data dictionary and comparison and merge technologies.
• Designing data reuse and real-time collaboration through efficient enterprise-level model management and metadata publishing capabilities.
• Effectively exchange information about data models throughout the enterprise using reporting tools and metadata publishing.
• The modern and most productive ways to share data and metadata, document and publish it for distributed workgroups, enhanced corporate collaboration opportunities, such as activity and discussion threads, alerts, and subscription and evaluation capabilities.
• Standardize and reuse items based on data dictionaries
• Collaboration methods for interdependent business requirements, projects and data models in a collective modeling environment with strict adherence to the necessary standards.
• Integrate and semantically link embedded business definitions with a centrally managed glossary, a single corporate registry of all available data sources.

For architects and software developers, ER / Studio Enterprise includes ER / Studio Software Architect, an object-oriented modeling tool for application architects that allows you to visually design and analyze complex software applications.



With this tool, students will practically master:

• Develop software architecture and standards based on models.
• Industry Standard Templates.
• Indicators and audit models.
• Using UML 2.0 to visualize, design, and document artifacts of distributed object systems.

ER / Studio Enterprise also includes ER / Studio Business Architect, a conceptual modeling tool designed to model business processes and use their data. Convenience of graphical editor tools and rich semantics of BPMN standard allow ER / Studio Business Architect business users to model interactions between processes, people and data.



This tool allows students to learn:

• Modeling business processes based on the BPMN standard using standard elements such as sequences, tasks, tracks.
• Conceptual modeling for top-down database design. Performing high-level conceptual modeling using subject areas, business units, interactions, and other elements.
• Usage reports (CRUD) for modeling business processes and data objects.
• Modeling business artifacts.

ER / Studio is based on fundamental technologies for describing and designing data, allowing not only to acquaint students with them, but also to demonstrate the whole range of related prospects and modern technologies in the field of computer data processing ranging from mobile applications to global corporate management systems, including ER / Studio allows you to explore support for enterprise-class strategic systems, including Teradata, Netezza and Greenplum, as well as the Big Data platform for Hadoop, providing a practical basis for students to learn theme "Big Data."



Links:

Description of ER / Studio in Russian www.embarcadero.com/en/products/er-studio
Description of editions of ER / Studio www.embarcadero.com/en/products/er-studio/product-editions
Trial downloads.embarcadero.com/free/er-studio