Oracle is pitching new integration in its update to Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler as an answer to the collaboration needs of development teams.
In version 3.0, Oracle has added integration with Subversion, an open-source tool that helps developers track changes to their source code. Generally, users check their code into a central repository to update and save changes, which allows other members of a development team to check out the code and make additional changes, Sue Harper, senior principal product manager at Oracle, told eWEEK.
“For Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler, this tight integration means that users can not only maintain a history of their designs, but also work collaboratively on the same design,” she said.
The tool also integrates with Oracle SQL Developer, enabling developers to open and view and update previously developed designs. Users can also query, run and write reports against the reporting repository.
Also in 3.0, Oracle has included the ability for users to write rules based on their own criteria alongside a set of predefined design rules for use during the development process. In addition, the release features user-defined transformation scripts to enable developers to make global changes or updates to a design.
With Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler 3.0, users can design and develop for Oracle Database 11g, IBM DB2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (V7 and V8), IBM DB2 for OS/390 and z/OS, and Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and 2005. The tool also imports data models from Oracle and non-Oracle products such as Oracle Designer and CA Erwin (Data Modeler 4.x and 7.x).
“Models provide a blueprint or plan for database development,” Harper said. “By working with sound or robust data models, application developers can be more confident that the applications that consume those data structures are more efficient and robust.”