Embarcadero Suite Spans All Aspects of the Database
Embarcadero Technologies Inc. (
www.embarcadero.com), a developer of database lifecycle management tools, recently unveiled new versions of its entire product suite for e-business and enterprise database development environments.
Collectively called Solution Pack, the first few products in the suite -- DBArtisan 5.1, DBArtisan Change Manager 1.1, and Rapid SQL 5.5 -- shipped at the end of January. The remaining product, ER/Studio 4.0, was expected to ship mid-March.
DBArtisan 5.1 is a database administration solution for concurrent management of heterogeneous databases, schema and data migration, object management, change management, storage management, security management, and server configuration and optimization. Version 5.1 also comes with a PL/SQL debugging module for Oracle developers.
The tool can support multiple databases running on Unix and NT-based systems. "We are cross platform because of the complexity in every company," says Ellen Taylor, president and CEO of Embarcadero.
The DBArtisan Change Manager has functions to help database administrators compare and synchronize database schema. Change Manager monitors and tracks all the additions and deletions made so the administrator doesn't have to.
Rapid SQL 5.5 is Embarcadero's tool for Web programming and database development for Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft, and IBM platforms. It also enables performance tuning and debugging. This newest version generates stored procedures and functions, and has new PL/SQL profiling for Oracle programmers.
Embarcadero's data modeling application, ER/Studio 4.0, offers graphical support for triggers, procedures, and functions. Created for logical and physical database design, ER/Studio enables both forward and reverse-engineering of databases. "The new version has graphical support built right into the modeling tool," says Stuart Browning, co-founder and vice president at Embarcadero. "It has an automation interface that can be programmed from the outside by VB Script or Java Script."
While Embarcadero has had competition in the database lifecycle management space from the likes of Computer Associates International Inc. (CA, www.cai.com) and Quest Software Inc. (www.quest.com), the company has managed to survive. "We have had to produce more products with less people," Browning says.
Despite its low-profile to date, Embarcadero is looking to make waves. With cross-platform products that span design, development, and application phases of the database, the company is looking to entice the less-weathered database administrator (DBA). "Because it is a universal DBA tool complete with simultaneous interoperability between platforms, it eliminates the need for a DBA to have to know all the platforms," Browning says.
A beginner administrator could benefit from these tools, which is important considering the shortage of skilled DBAs, Taylor says. "We can make even the a novice DBA more effective, bring them quickly up-to-speed and making their database more productive."