Setting Up a Multi-Modeling Environment › Common Multi-Model Configurations › Database Administrator Configuration

Database Administrator Configuration

A database administrator (DBA) configuration is a shared name environment that enables developers to design a data model in one model and design functions in another. All data modeling changes take place in the database design model, and the object definitions are copied to the application model. All procedural coding takes place in the application model. The database design model does not require a generation library.

The DBA configuration generally has two variations:

• One database design model with several application models. This configuration may be appropriate when an environment needs a cross-application data model but application-specific programming.
• Multiple database design models with a single application model. This configuration may be appropriate in a maintenance environment or in an environment developing interfaces between applications in separate models.

To set up a DBA configuration:

1. Create the required models. Specify the same model values for all models. Designate the database design model and application design models.
2. Using the database design model as the name library, set up a shared name environment. See the Shared Name Environment section in this chapter for more information.
3. Prevent access by programmers to the database design model.
4. Optionally, prevent access by designers to the application models.

You can generate files and access paths using the database design or the application model. You should not generate them from both models. If you use the database design model, any differences between the models tends to become obvious when the functions are created. In this situation, job descriptions for the application models must contain the database generation library. Differences between the model definition of the access path and the actual model can also cause spurious image compare errors during application execution.

You can define additional access paths either in the application or in the database models. Do not define them in both models. Because of the significant impact on performance, ensure that you control the number and types of access paths if you define them in the application model.