CA Erwin Data Modeler r8, a solution for collaboratively visualizing and managing data across multiple systems, was announced by CA Technologies. Enhanced visualization and different ways to visualize data models in non-traditional formats is a main theme of the release, Donna Burbank, senior director of marketing, Data Management, CA Technologies, tells 5 Minute Briefing. The goal is to help ERwin, an established product with a 20-plus-year track record, to reach new audiences, in particular, business and non-technical users, as well as provide improved workflow for traditional CA Erwin Data Modeler users. "We completely ripped out our old user interface and put in a new one," says Burbank. With features like graphics, themes, fonts, and auto layout, she observes, "It is really more like a drawing tool on the front with the power of a data modeling tool behind it."

Embarcadero is providing SQL Server developers and DBAs with a toolset designed to simplify many common and complex tasks associated with developing, administering and optimizing SQL Server databases. The new toolset, dubbed DB PowerStudio for SQL Server, combines several of Embarcadero's most popular database tools into a lower-cost studio offering. DB PowerStudio for SQL Server is available in two editions, a Developer Edition and a DBA Edition. Both editions include tools and capabilities including Rapid SQL, an integrated development environment that simplifies SQL scripting, query building, object management and version control in live databases or offline source code repositories. The overlapping Developer and DBA Editions reflect the converging roles of DBAs and developers in the database space, Scott Walz, senior director of product management for Embarcadero, tells 5 Minute Briefing.

Oracle has announced a new version of its data modeling tool, Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler 3.0. The new release supports collaborative development through new integration with popular open source version control software, as well as the incorporation of user-defined design rules and transformation scripts.

Referential integrity helps manage data by enforcing validation between related entities. This enforcement follows logical semantics behind the database design -- i.e., an employee can only work for an already defined department; a prescription can only be written by a health care practitioner with the proper authority. A Foreign Key on an Employee table rejects data when any attempt is made to insert or update a row with a department value that does not already exist as a department identifier within a Department table.

When designing a system an architect must conform to all three corners of the CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity and Accessibility) triangle. System requirements for data confidentiality are driven not only by business rules but also by legal and compliance requirements. As such, the data confidentiality (when required) must be preserved at any cost and irrespective of performance, availability or any other implications. Integrity and Accessibility, the other two sides of triangle, may have some flexibility in design.

Back in the 1970s, the ANSI SPARC three-tiered model arose, foreshadowing a smooth intertwining of data and architectural design. The three tiers concept isolated the physical storage needs of data structures independent of business' perception of these structures. The three levels were comprised of schemas labeled external, conceptual, and internal, with each level describing the data in focus from varying perspectives.

QSM Associates is shipping an updated version of the SLIM software lifecycle management solution, which incorporates support for Agile software development methodologies. A product of McLean, Virginia-based QSM, Inc., the new release, SLIM Suite 8.0, addresses development concerns with Agile methodologies, which emphasize iterative approaches working as small teams with business users.

How does one know what one doesn't know? When evaluating what one knows, it is hard to know where to begin. The wise men say, "The more you know, the more you know you don't know." If one believes such commentary, what is known constitutes the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Databases have an easier time with such missing circumstances. If the rows of a database table are lacking referents, an outer join query filtering for NULLs might detail for you all the missing items. In developing and delivering projects, such a reference list for our minds to link to does not exist, for an outer join or anything else. Often, we do not know everything that needs to be done, particularly as a project starts. The difference between success and failure is not so much what one knows, but in how one handles the gaps between what is known now and what needs to be known before one finishes.

The year 2010 brought many new challenges and opportunities to data managers' jobs everywhere. Companies, still recovering from a savage recession, increasingly turned to the power of analytics to turn data stores into actionable insights, and hopefully gain an edge over less data-savvy competitors. At the same time, data managers and administrators alike found themselves tasked with managing and maintaining the integrity of rapidly multiplying volumes of data, often presented in a dizzying array of formats and structures. New tools and approaches were sought; and the market churning with promising new offerings embracing virtualization, consolidation and information lifecycle management. Where will this lead in the year ahead? Can we expect an acceleration of these initiatives and more? DBTA looked at new industry research, and spoke with leading experts in the data management space, to identify the top trends for 2011.

Talend, an open source data management software vendor, announced it has acquired Sopera, a provider of open source SOA and middleware platforms, creating a global company specializing in open-source middleware solutions.

Embarcadero Technologies has announced the availability of ER/Studio XE, database design and data modeling tool suite. This latest version offers improvements in the user experience, and enhanced scalability and performance.

Embarcadero Technologies has announced the availability of ER/Studio XE, database design and data modeling tool suite. This latest version offers improvements in the user experience, and enhanced scalability and performance.

It has been widely documented - data is growing at astronomical rates. The amount of data your organization has is less important than how the data is being used. Is data growth hindering your business or is it providing a better understanding of the direction you need to go?

Psychiatrists report play is important for keeping our minds and bodies healthy and happy. It has been uncovered that without at least some play, we mentally and physically deteriorate. Lack of play can lead to depression. Our brains are so hardwired in their need for playful activities that without such expressions we loose focus. Play enhances the creativity and imagination within us. Likewise, play has a proper role within our work. And not just for the psychological benefit to the individual, but for the overall health of the organization. For an IT development group, play is essential for finding better ways to approach problems. Within an IT context, play involves evaluating new ways to handle old problems. Prototyping, at times, constitutes play. Prototypes can be used for more than just the practicalities of the user interface; sometimes a prototype of specific functions is necessary for comparisons in order to judge how non-obvious techniques may perform. Such prototype endeavors can involve not only new algorithms, but potentially variant data structures. Ideally, such prototypes will improve team understanding of the data structures and offer insights into potential new and innovative approaches.

Embarcadero Technologies today announced the availability of ER/Studio XE, database design and data modeling tool suite. This latest version offers improvements in the user experience, enhanced scalability and performance, and expanded database management system (DBMS) support for Netezza's TwinFin appliance.

Aimed at further streamlining the development of database-centric web applications, Oracle has introduced Oracle Application Express Release 4.0. The new release helps reduce the time and complexity of building opportunistic Web 2.0 applications and reports. Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a feature included at no additional cost with all editions and releases of Oracle Database 11g. The 4.0 release helps reduce the time and complexity of building opportunistic Web 2.0 applications and reports, and is available now for download from the Oracle Technology Network (OTN).

Embarcadero Technologies has released Rapid SQL XE, the latest version of its integrated development environment (IDE) that enables developers and database administrators (DBAs) to produce high quality SQL code faster. Rapid SQL XE includes direct native support for heterogeneous database environments from a single user interface, and debuts support for Embarcadero InterBase and the open source Firebird database, in addition to full Unicode support.

Embarcadero Technologies has released Rapid SQL XE, the latest version of its integrated development environment (IDE) that enables developers and database administrators (DBAs) to produce high quality SQL code faster. Rapid SQL XE includes direct native support for heterogeneous database environments from a single user interface, and debuts support for Embarcadero InterBase and the open source Firebird database, in addition to full Unicode support.

It is rare to find an implemented database devoid of reference tables. Reference tables provide valid values for drop-down lists and in a slightly obtuse way, also allow for expression of a domain or user-defined data type within the database design. Nominally a reference list is but a list of values to be referenced. In practice, the implemented structure of a reference table is driven by small nuances regarding how each list is used. The signifiers may consist of a code or number that creates a short-hand way of expressing a state or value. Yet in addition to such simple codes, a "medium length" name column or even a column to contain a lengthy text description should exist in support of these codes. The names may be used in drop-down lists so that people need not memorize many code values, and the descriptions can assist help-functions by providing users with more understanding of a value's meaning or intended use. For operational applications it may be worthwhile to have an attribute expressing the order in which items should be displayed, unless alphabetical display is a preference. If codes are maintained via online screens, an indicator may be helpful in flagging values that are part of the system and not to be removed or deactivated via those online screens.

Sybase reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. "We are off to a very good start this year," stated John Chen, chairman, CEO and president of Sybase, during a conference call last week. "We are very pleased to report our 10th consecutive record quarter. The highlights include historical first quarter highs in revenue, operating margin, earnings and cash flow. We also have double digit growth in total revenue as well as license growth and message revenue growth."

Sybase technical experts are planning a series of Developer Days throughout the United States and Europe to showcase the latest releases of its industry-leading development software. All seminars are free and run from 8:30am - 2pm local time (timing may vary slightly by location) with breakfast and lunch included.

Oracle also announced Oracle Application Integration Architecture (AIA) Foundation Pack 11gR1. Oracle AIA provides an open, standards-based approach for organizations to integrate cross-application business processes, leveraging a broad range of custom, Oracle or third-party applications, while gaining efficiencies, increasing competitive edge and enabling lower total cost of ownership.

At COLLABORATE 10 this week, Quest Software has been showcasing a new release of Toad for Oracle that provides greater automation in Oracle development, administration, and query and reporting. Toad for Oracle 10.5 builds upon the next-generation enhancements of Toad 10, saving money for the organization and time for the end user.

Quest Software, Inc., a Visual Studio Industry Partner and maker of Toad for Oracle, has announced the launch of Toad Extension for Visual Studio. Toad Extension for Visual Studio is a database schema provider that will support complete application lifecycle management (ALM) for Oracle in Visual Studio 2010, unifying Oracle developers with the rest of the Visual Studio development team.

Sybase today announced the availability of Sybase PowerBuilder 12. The new release of Sybase's rapid application development tool enables developers to easily and cost effectively create or migrate their business applications on the Microsoft .NET Framework, for modern and visually appealing application user experiences. Sybase today announced the availability of Sybase PowerBuilder 12. The new release of Sybase's rapid application development tool enables developers to easily and cost effectively create or migrate their business applications on the Microsoft .NET Framework, for modern and visually appealing application user experiences.

Quest Software, Inc., a Visual Studio Industry Partner and maker of Toad for Oracle, has announced the launch of Toad Extension for Visual Studio. Toad Extension for Visual Studio is a database schema provider that will support complete application lifecycle management (ALM) for Oracle in Visual Studio 2010, unifying Oracle developers with the rest of the Visual Studio development team.

Far too often we all talk past one another. This cross talking, while not always drastic, remains perceived as an understood fuzziness. Much of the time we ignore these minor miscommunications because precision and clarity are not necessarily critical in all situations. If the general gist is effectively understood between those communicating, that generality may be all that is necessary. Those involved in the communication may feel comfortable that assumptions made to "fill in the gaps" will fall within an acceptable range. Although the lack of clarity in the message communicated may be acceptable, in other circumstances it may not be acceptable.

Oracle has announced AutoVue 20.0, the first release of the product planned from day-one under Oracle ownership. AutoVue joined Oracle as part of the Agile acquisition in 2007 and solves one central challenge, Thierry Bonfante, director product strategy for Oracle's AutoVue solutions, tells 5 Minute Briefing. "What we provide is a way to open any files, any documents that have been generated by any applications whether it is very simple applications like Microsoft Office or TIFF [Tagged Image File Format] or JPEG [Joint Photographic Experts Group] up to the very advanced 2D and 3D CADs [computer aided designs] that are used in aerospace and defense, construction, utilities, oil and gas."

IBM has announced plans to go online with its commercial cloud service for software development and testing, allowing enterprise and government clients to test and develop on an IBM Cloud.