Benefits of Using AllFusion ERwin and Advantage Gen in the Same Project Lifecycle

Steve SmithJumar Solutions

28th March 2007

AIIFusion ERwin Data Modeler

working together with

AllFusion Gen

Abstract

Why is this such a powerful combination and how can it made to work most effectively?

Jumar Solutions

• Founded in 2000

• 360° Business and IT Solutions Company

• Gen specialists

• Rapid Growth– Deloitte Fast 50 National Winner 2005.

• HQ in Solihull, UK

Clients

Jumar Brands

Jumar:Links is the brand for tool integration products.

Jumar:Xtras is the brand for complementary products, utilities, add-ins and plug-ins.

Project Phoenix is the brand for Gen application modernisation software and services.

Agenda

• Introduction to ERwin and its features• Benefits for Gen Users• How Jumar:Links integrates the two products• Practical Scenarios• Demonstration• Implementation• Summary• Q & A• Brief Introduction to Jumar’s other Gen Products

AllFusion ERwin Data Modeler

purpose-built for data and database

modeling

“… performs transactional and data warehouse database design, generation and maintenance; logical and physical database design; enterprise modeling; dimensional modeling, IDEFX1 modeling; and information engineering modeling.”

Why use ERwin as well as Gen?

• Dedicated full-featured data and database modeling tool has many more features

• Allows rapid development of new web/J2EE applications based upon existing data stores

• Improves user and analyst communication

• Allows the DBA function and the Gen development world to be properly integrated

ERwin Features

• Design layer architecture• Datatype mapping facility• Naming Standards and Glossary• Complete Compare bi-directional

synchronization across models• Database design generation• Forward and reverse engineering• Large model management via Subject Areas

and Stored Displays• Drawing objects• Data Warehouse design

Complete Compare

Compare models with other models, databases or scripts, move changes in either direction and generate ALTER scripts

Reverse Engineering

Generate a model from an existing database or script then move it into Gen and start constructing an application

What is needed from a solution that integrates these products?

• Must deal with all major objects on both sides • Must deal with the issues of change and

configuration management• Must be flexible to support in-house standards • Must show quality and productivity gain in the

development cycle• Must be intelligent - more than a simple metadata

bridge• Must be simple to use on a daily basis

ERwin API

Gen API

1. Read ERwin data via exposed object hierarchy

1. 2. 2.

3. Update Gen data via proprietary ActiveX interface which calls Gen API functions

3.

Code-based transformation

rulesERwin data exposed

Gen data generated

AllFusionERwinData

Modeler

AdvantageGen

ActiveXlayer

FRAMEWORK FRAMEWORK

BUSINESS OR MAPPING RULES

Jumar:Links Integration

2. Main application performs all object mapping and transformation

Jumar:Links Features

• Simple to use GUI interface• Creation of all major logical and physical data

objects in both directions• Variety of transformation types

- Logical to Logical, Physical to Logical, etc• Flexible and configurable via clickable Mapping

rules• Use of custom properties for object properties

which don’t map well• Action logging• Intelligence

– adds, removes and changes objects during transformation

Custom PropertiesERwin User-Defined Properties may optionally be used to store information useful in Gen but not available in ERwin

• RI Trigger Names

• Logical Entity Volumetrics

• Modifying / Referencing

• ….

Transformation Options

• User selects the desired set of transformation rules

• Each organisation has a slightly different requirement

Action Logging

Jumar:Links Features (2)

Automated QA and standards enforcement

• Object id and name maps are maintained for traceability and change/impact analysis– uses custom properties in ERwin and Tags in

Gen description panels

• Integrate ERwin and Gen allowing Update Migration of changes made in ERwin.

Usage Scenarios (1)

Gen is the master

Database is generated and

maintained from either ERwin or

Gen

Models are ‘checked out’ from Gen to ERwin, changed and then ‘checked back in’ again

Application is generated

and maintained from Gen

Gen application accesses database

Usage Scenarios (2)

ERwin is the master

Database is generated

and maintained from ERwin

Initial ERwin to Gen synchronization is followed by subsequent forward migration of changes

Application is generated

and maintained from Gen

Gen application accesses ERwin

database

Usage Scenarios (3)

Reverse Engineering

1. Take an existing database

2. Generate an ERwin

model

3. Transform it into Gen

4. Create new network

or web application

Initial Setup - Synchronisation

• Where models already exist on both sides

• Need to store corresponding object ids across models

• Name based comparison

• Manual methods

• Automated Methods

Demonstration

Implementation considerations

• Definition of the life-cycle (tool positioning)

• Roles – who uses which tool?

• Definition of the modelling standards (ERwin/Gen)

• Definition of the detailed mapping rules

• Configuration Management, Round-trip and Versioning

Summary

It is possible and practical to use both ERwin and Gen within the same life cycle and to manage change

More than just a bridge is required. An integrated, intelligent, configurable transformation checks, changes and adds changes

New developments operating against existing databases can be launched fast

High automation means high quality and productivity, in-line QA and standards enforcement

Maximum benefits come from a managed implementation into an amended development lifecycle

Questions & Answers

??

Other Gen Specific Products –

• Jumar:Xtras ModelReporter for AllFusion Gen

• Jumar:Xtras BulkUpdate for AllFusion Gen

• Jumar:Xtras DifferenceAnalysis for AllFusion Gen

• Jumar:Xtras PrintEnhancer for AllFusion Gen

• Jumar:Links for AllFusion:Gen and UML

Other Gen Specific Products –

• Model Analyser for AllFusion Gen

• 3270 Automation for AllFusion Gen

• Test Harness Generator for AllFusion Gen

• QA Compliance for AllFusion Gen

• CBD Automation for AllFusion Gen

• Fat Client Re-engineering for AllFusion Gen

• GUI to WUI for AllFusion Gen

Other Products – Custom Automation

• Individual pieces of automation for individual tasks

• Rapidly assembled from a library of hundreds of high-level model manipulation routines built on top of the Gen APIs

• Solve big problems without large manual effort

Contact

Steve Smith

Development Team Leader

Jumar Solutions

steve.smith@jumar-solutions.com

www.jumar-solutions.com