Equal Format Data Systems

Saving Time and Money

The Future of Data

For the CIO

The least expensive parts of your system are that way because they are uniform, reusable, and reliable, such as the relational database management systems (RDBMS).

With traditional design, the most expensive parts are custom-built, not reusable, and only become reliable with time and work. Most of your system is done this way.

Using Equal Format Data, more of your system will be less expensive, and more uniform, reusable, and reliable.

Less of your system needs to be custom-built.

Let’s look at the projected costs in a major system consolidation, updating and merging two legacy systems together, lasting 24 months with a cost of $5 million.

Task Time Schedule Cost

System Criteria Design $600 K

Data Design $600 K

Data System Implementation

$700 K

Form / Report Design $600 K

Form / Report Implementation

$2,000 K

Installation $500 K

Total 24 Months $5,000 K

Task Time Schedule Save Cost

System Criteria Design 16% $500 K

Data Design 33% $400 K

Data System Implementation

57% $300 K

Form / Report Design 16% $500 K

Form / Report Implementation

10% $1,800 K

Installation 20% $400 K

Total 18 Months 22% $3,900 K

Let’s look at the same project design using an equal format system. Thanks to a reusable design, many tasks can be started earlier, with common forms, reports, and functionality saving more time and money.

Traditional design patterns take all of the data and break it up into separate tables in a customizing process called “normalization”.

This process is designed to gain flexibility and save space, but it becomes more complex as the number of tables often climb to hundreds in each database.

In a traditional design, a value is given meaning by its position in a table. This has a number of expensive side effects:

This Old Table All tables are custom.

Interactions with custom tables are also custom.

Complexity is used to gain flexibility and save space.

More table design and conversion work is required to handle future changes.

In the new EFD design pattern, the old table is broken into small pieces of Equal Format Data, with the meaning attached to the value.

Equal Format relational tables are uniform and can be used on almost any relational server. This preserves prior knowledge and improves learning curves.

Uniform tables lead to uniform functionality, allowing more reusable code. This improves reliability and security.

The uniformity of Equal Format systems allows data to be partitioned, paralleled, and distributed, in a scalable manner.

Equal Format containers support data registries and dictionaries.

Upfront advantages:

Quicker development time using off-the-shelf components

Quicker development time when developers and project segments are more independent

Reliable, tested table design and code reduces debugging

Uses your current database servers, preserving corporate investment

Long-term benefits:

A standard table structure improves learning curves and simplifies maintenance

Future enhancements are easier with a design already capable of handling future needs

Data dictionaries and registries are easier to create and maintain, maximizing the searching, mining, merging, and distribution of data

Less vendor dependence

Important characteristics:

Holds any data model, eliminating the need for object or specialty databases

Uses your SQL-based database server, i.e. Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server

More flexible and scalable than XML Storage systems

Can be merged into existing systems

Great for retrievable archives

Unique capabilities:

Preserves and tracks all data changes with non-destructive modifications

Holds a “snapshot” of any time-state of the database

Rollbacks can be controlled for changes made during a particular timeframe, by a person, or any other criteria of your definition

Compares two databases for differences

Master Data Storage

Messaging Systems

Data Warehousing, Data Marts, and Data Mining

Security, Auditing, Quality Control

Merging Legacy Information

Facility Data and PLM Data

Engineering Project Management

Product Catalog Data

Development Infrastructure

EFD

EFD

EFD

EFD

EFD

EFD

EFD

Analysis

PLM

Facilities

CAD Planning

Purchasing

EFDEFD

[email protected]

+1 (734) 878-0109 voice+1 (734) 878-0684 fax

The Future of Data

www.datura-llc.com

Datura, LLCPO Box 498Howell, MI 48844-0498USA