Question

I have used MS SQL Server Management Studio for most of my database modeling to this point in my career. I am a database developer (not a DBA), but interested in the benefits with using Sparx systems Enterprise Architect for data modeling. I do not have the need to generate scripts for different databases, other than that what does using Sparx EA buy me that SQL Management Studio does not?

Answer 1

You can t think of enterprise architect as a development tool.

Enterprise architect is a modeling tool with developer benefits. The main feature of EA is to leverage UML models. EA gives you flexibility to model your data in all different ways. You can create all levels of standardized models from Logical to Physical.

It also allows you to take it to the next level and model domain classes that map to your conceptual model.

I have also been on projects that took EA models and exported them to XMI and ran rules based code generation. Which basically generated a whole project architecture based on diagrams.

Answer 2

I found using EA an advantage when tasked with building and designing both the database and the application. One can model the general entities in a Domain Model then use the Transform feature to create tables from that model and at the same time generate entity classes in your language of choice (e.g C#, C++ or Java). So you get a bit of a "two birds with one stone" effect. This might not be what everyone sees as an advantage but I like it.

Answer 3

I realize that an answer has already been marked correct but I would like to add that you may also reverse engineer SQL to conceptual models. This has proved to be a valuable functionality for me in my work.

Plus, I personally use EA to generate setup scripts for DB solutions ( http://www.marcusnordquist.com/?p=112 ).

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