Data Modeling in Visible Analyst is focused on the Data Modeling and Database Engineering functionality of the popular Visible Analyst product. It focuses on the diagramming techniques, methods, and capabilities that relate directly to data modeling and database design. It delivers superior capabilities to Database Administrators, Data Modelers, Data Architects, and Data Administrators at a lower price than any of its competition.

Key Features of Visible Analyst Data Modeling

• Multi-user concurrent access enables team collaboration.

• IntelliViews™ - Visible's exclusive technology develops database view specifications as you are data modeling - tracking name changes to every location and formula in which they are used, eliminating errors as model evolves.

• ERwin file import / export capabilities.

• Smart Reverse Engineering - Reverse engineering analyzes legacy databases to find relationships not expressly defined to the database. Allows the tool to "infer" relationships where none is defined.

• Object Browser - Allows easy navigation and manipulation of all entities, attributes and relationships in the repository.

• Forward and reverse engineering through ODBC, direct connection or SQL DDL for virtually all databases.

• Generates AS/400 DDS.

• Web publish models (reports and diagrams) for sharing across the Internet with standard HTML and JPEG formats.

• Supports on-the-fly denormalization of data models for better performing physical database designs (while preserving your logical business data model).

• Includes interfaces to Visual Basic 4, 5, 6 and PowerBuilder .

• Coming Soon! Roundtrip Database Engineering and Compare & Alter (to appear in Version 8.0).
  
  

Data Modeling and Database Design

Visible Analyst Data Modeling supports entity-relationship diagrams (ERDs) based on data modeling notations defined by IDEF1X, Bachman, and Information Engineering (IE). ERDs can be automatically generated from the data dictionary and Repository information and generate multiple views based on Subject Area, Functional area, or any user selected set of Entities and associations. Visible Analyst automatically generates summary data model clusters (i.e., a conceptual model), synchronizes cascaded foreign keys, and dynamically maintains syntactically correct ERDs. In addition, Visible Analyst Data Modeling interactively checks and resolves normalization problems and provides key analysis. Multiple display options include entity, entity/key, entity/attribute, and entity/attribute-physical.

Visible Analyst Data Modeling supports all 3 data levels (Conceptual, Logical, and Physical) from a single specification. With Visible Analyst Data Modeling, you can specify your data model once. The DB Engineer edition allows for the automatic summarization of the logical model to a conceptual level in entity "clusters," as well as on-the-fly denormalization options for performance to create the physical design model. The IntelliViews feature allows you to specify your views on the logical model, and the view remains valid even while your physical model is denormalized for performance.

IntelliViews™ - Database View Support

Visible Analyst Data Modeling features Visible's exclusive IntelliViews technology. All data modeling tools on the market today allow you to model entities and generate SQL to create tables in a database schema. A few tools allow you to model database views. When it comes to actually specifying the Select clause used for filtering, most require you to manually type in the SQL used to define the filtering criteria for a specific SQL dialect. But Visible's IntelliViews technology defines the next generation of sophisticated database view design.

• If a name is changed anywhere in the tool, any filtering clauses, calculation formulas and expressions will be updated properly.

• When generating the database schema, the SQL is translated to dialect-specific syntax, ensuring error free SQL.

• Code does not need to be specified for joins based on foreign key relationships defined in the model. It is automatic at generation time.

• If necessary, secondary Views will be dynamically created to implement the join specified, allowing Visible Analyst (for instance) to fool databases that do not support outer joins to support them anyway.

• The SQL generator will seamlessly bridge any differences between the logical data model and its (denormalized) physical implementation.
  
  

Database Schema Generation & Forward / Reverse Engineering of Existing Databases

Visible Analyst Data Modeling can generate databases schemas directly from your ERDs via ODBC or SQL DDL scripts. The DB Engineer edition helps you develop quality client/server applications, with support for domains (user defined data types), stored procedures, triggers (with referential integrity trigger generation), indexes, primary keys, and foreign keys referential integrity constraints on applicable databases.

Visible Analyst Data Modeling enables schema generation and reverse engineering of a wide range of popular desktop and client/server databases. You can connect directly to the target database via drivers that conform to Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard or you can generate SQL DDL via a text file and have the database process it.

Visible Analyst Data Modeling gives you the ability to read and understand the structure of the existing database system, which saves time and increases accuracy. Once the database has been reverse-engineered, you can automatically generate ERDs to reflect its structure. Then you can update the created model and regenerate it using the same or different database type. When you reverse engineer, you capture structures of tables, indexes, primary keys, foreign keys, stored procedures, triggers, and physical storage parameters.

Repository, Networking, and Reporting Features

The Visible Analyst Data Modeling Repository functions interactively with the diagramming and rules to automatically create an organized database of project information for each project as it is developed. The Repository is automatically updated and maintained during all of your work sessions and it can be accessed at any time to manually add, delete, edit or review entries. Version control is supported through the Enabler Repository option. The multi-user functionality permits concurrent access, simultaneous update, and file / record locking.

Visible Analyst Data Modeling supports a variety of comprehensive repository reports based on the current project repository and other project information. Custom Repository reporting capabilities are also supported. Visible Analyst Data Modeling supports report preview, print to file, or printer. Visible Analyst supports web publishing of reports and diagrams for sharing across the Internet in standard HTML and JPEG formats.

Database Types Supported

• Access

• ANSI SQL-92

• Centura SQLBase

• DB2.2, 2.5 SQL

• DBASE IV SQL

• Datacom SQL

• Informix SQL

• Ingres SQL

• Netware SQL

• Oracle 7.x, 8.x

• Paradox

• Progress

• Rdb SQL

• SQL Server 4.x, 6.x, 7.x

• Server System 10/11

• Teradata SQL V2 R2

• Unify SQL

• Watcom/ SQL Anywhere

• XDB SQL

• Popular desktop DBs via ODBC ....and customizable dialects

Visible Analyst has a convenient Object Browser (left) from which you can drag and drop Entities and Relationships onto your ERD. There are extensive diagram color and line options to alter the look of your diagrams.

The Entity editor provides easy access to all of the common characteristics needed by the Database Analyst.