![]() ![]() The “real” Windows-based tools install with minimal effort. Ease of installation, setup and configuration is another area of consideration. Visio, for example, supports connections to three prominent vendors (SQL Server, Oracle, and DB2). A $50 version of SmartDraw does the same thing more expensive tools do.Ĭonnecting to major name RDBMSs is a common feature among the more sophisticated tools. With DFDs being generic representations of the data flow process, there is not much difference among any of the tools. ![]() Many tools can generate data flow diagrams (DFDs). The database design component is only available in the professional edition, which costs $499 for a “new user” version. Showing entity relationships via the database design component is but one feature of this product. Visio is a general-purpose drawing tool with a high degree of technical functionality (it does more than just draw circles, squares and lines). ![]() In fact, Microsoft’s Web site shows a comparison between the two products to help you decide which product you need or should use. Visio is a more powerful version of PowerPoint. Shown below is a summary of features and costs for Visio, Designer, and Erwin. Do you want to be locked into using one type of model, or is flexibility important? Which product you would choose depends on factors such as budget, training time, functionality, support, and compatibility. Some are very inexpensive (including free) while others are quite expensive. ![]() Additionally, the cost of these tools varies widely. However, it should be noted that there are many vendors whose products support database design even though their products are general purpose drawing tools. Some of the major CASE tool vendors include Microsoft, Oracle, and Computer Associates. Who are some of the major vendors of these products and how do they compare to one another? CASE tools are an invaluable resource for a DBA and knowing how to use one (or more) of them can make your job easier. Unless you are involved with building or designing a new application or database from scratch, when else would you have the opportunity to use a CASE tool? One of the points to take away from having read this article is that a CASE tool can also be used after the fact. Many DBAs find themselves working with someone else’s database design. ![]()
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