The Data Model Resource Book, Volume 1: A Library of Universal Data Models for All Enterprises, Revised EditionISBN: 978-0-471-38023-8
Paperback
560 pages
March 2001
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"The Data Model Resource Book, Revised Edition, Volume 1 is the
best book I?ve seen on data architecture. It does not merely
address the top levels of a data architecture (Zachman Framework
row one or two); it provides both common and industry-specific
logical models as well as data designs that may be customized to
meet your requirements. The end result is a is a rich framework
whose models span the higher and lower levels of a data
architecture, including high-level models, logical models,
warehouse designs, star schemas, and SQL scripts. You can use the
data models, designs, and scripts as templates or starting points
for your own modeling, an introduction to subject areas you might
not be familiar with, a reference to validate your existing models,
and a help to building an enterprise data architecture. The book
provides techniques to transform models from one level to another,
as well as tips and techniques for getting the appropriate levels
of abstraction in the models. Instance tables (sample data) help
bring the models to life. I have customized and used the models
from the first edition on many projects in the last two years?it is
an invaluable resource to me."
--Van Scott, President, Sonata Consulting, Inc.
"Len Silverston has produced an enormously useful two-volume
compendium of generic (but not too generic) data models for an
extensive set of typical enterprise subject areas, and for various
industries that any data modeler will likely encounter at some
point in his or her career. The material is clearly written, well
organized, and goes below the obvious to some of the more perverse
and difficult information requirements in an enterprise. This is an
invaluable resource for doing one's homework before diving into any
modeling session; if you can't find it here, there is certainly a
very similar template that you can use for just about any situation
with which you might be faced."
--William G. Smith, President, William G. Smith &
Associates
"In today's fast-paced e-oriented world, it is no longer
acceptable to bury business constraints in hard-to-change data
structures. Data architects must comprehend complex requirements
and recast them into data architecture with vision for unforeseen
futures. Len's models provide an outstanding starting point for
novice and advanced data architects for delivering flexible data
models. These models position an organization for the business rule
age. Their proper implementation and customization allows the
organization to externalize and manage business policies and rules
so that the business can proactively change itself. In this way,
the data architecture, based on Len's models and procedures for
customizing them, becomes by design the foundation for business
change."
--Barbara von Halle, Founder, Knowledge Partners, Inc., Co-author
of Handbook of Relational Database Design
"These books are long overdue and a must for any company
implementing universal data models. They contain practical insights
and templates for implementing universal data models and can help
all enterprises regardless of their level of experience. Most books
address the needs for data models but give little in the way of
practical advice. These books fill in that void and should be
utilized by all enterprises."
--Ron Powell, Publisher, DM Review
"Businesses across the world are demanding quality systems that
are built faster by IT shops. This book provides a foundation of
patterns for data modelers to expand upon and can cut days, if not
weeks, off a project schedule. I have found The Data Model Resource
Book, Revised Edition, Volume 1 valuable as a resource for my
modeling efforts at L.L. Bean, Inc. and feel it is an essential
component in any modelers toolkit."
--Susan T. Oliver, Enterprise Data Architect, L.L. Bean, Inc.
"I was first introduced to The Data Model Resource Book three
years ago when I was hired by a firm who wanted an enterprise data
model. This company did not believe the dictum that ?all companies
are basically the same;? they felt they were somehow unique. After
a little analysis with Len Silverston's help, we found that we were
actually quite a bit the same: we had customers, accounts,
employees, benefits, and all the things you'd find in any
corporation. All we had to do was adapt the product component of
Len's book and we were ready to move ahead with a great framework
for all of our data. A CD-ROM that accompanies the book provided
scripts to build the model in Oracle very quickly. We then began
mapping all of our detailed data types to the enterprise model and,
voila, we could find a place for all of those various spellings and
misspellings of Account Number.
Volume 2 of this revised edition provided even more exciting
features: models of industry-specific data. I began to see
interesting patterns that permeated this volume. For example, a
reservation is a reservation, whether you're an airline, a
restaurant, or a hotel. (We even have something similar in the oil
industry--the allocation.)
Another concept from the book that has changed my thinking and
vocabulary is the word "party." I recently managed a project in
which an employee could also function as a customer and as an
on-line computer user. The team was in disagreement regarding a
name for this entity; but after checking The Data Model Resource
Book, we realized that here we had a party playing three
roles.
Whether your job is to jump-start a data warehouse project or
borrow ideas for any subject area in your next operational
database, I highly recommend The Data Model Resource Books, Revised
Edition, Volumes 1 and 2 as your bible for design."
--Ted Kowalski, Equilon Enterprises LLC, Author of Opening
Doors: A Facilitator's Handbook