Editor's Notes: 2000 Bandwagons
    by Scot A. Becker

UML Data Models from an ORM Perspective (Part 7)
    by Dr. Terry Halpin

This paper is the seventh in a series of articles examining data modeling in the Unified Modeling Language (UML) from the perspective of Object Role Modeling (ORM). Part 1 discussed historical background, design criteria for modeling languages, object reference and single-valued attributes. Part 2 covered multi-valued attributes, basic constraints, and instantiation using UML object diagrams or ORM fact tables. Part 3 compared UML associations and related multiplicity constraints with ORM relationship types and related uniqueness, mandatory role and frequency constraints, as well as how associations may be instantiated. Part 4 contrasted ORM nesting with UML association classes, ORM co-referencing with UML qualified associations, and ORM exclusion constraints with UML or-constraints. Part 5 discussed ORM subset and equality constraints, and how to specify these in UML. Part 6 discussed subtyping. Part 7 discusses some other graphic constraints (value, ring and join constraints).

In the Beginning...
   by Pat Hallock

Object Role Modeling (ORM) speaks of the 'Universe of Discourse' (UoD) which is the test for including or excluding any proposed assertions. A UoD about an ordering system includes an assertion of "Customer completed payment on Date" but would probably not include "Student prefers morning scheduled Class". Determining the UoD is a basic step in beginning a conceptual model.

Zachman Framework
   by Dr. John K. Sharp

As a company tries to become better in the creation of information systems a regular discussion occurs about the need or value of an information architecture. The success of an individual application is not dependent on having an information architecture, but the corporate goal of a seamless, integrated corporate information system requires corporate planning. A major part of this planning may involve architecture. This article reflects some of my initial thoughts on a long-term project that I have just started that deals with the Zachman Framework. For information on the general issue of information architectures refer to references at the end of this article.

Dr. John K. Sharp
Analysis Problem
Solution for Last Issue's Analysis Problem

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