Creating Models › Target Servers for Physical Models › Changing the Target Server › Database Connection Overview

Database Connection Overview

erwin® Data Modeler provides a gateway to your physical database using the Database Connection dialog. You use this dialog to enter connection criteria. Once the connection is established, you work directly with the physical catalog as you use erwin® Data Modeler modeling tools.

Review the basic requirements for establishing database connection before you attempt to connect to a database.

• Verify that erwin® Data Modeler supports the database with which you plan to work. The current list of supported databases and versions appears in the erwin® Data Modeler Release Notes, and in the erwin Data Modeler - Target Server dialog.
• Select the database and version in the erwin Data Modeler - Target Server dialog. Click Target Database on the Actions menu in the physical model view to open this dialog. The database that you select in this dialog is used to display connection parameters on the <Database> Connection dialog.
• Install the appropriate client database software on the computer you want to connect from (and which is running erwin® Data Modeler). Use a direct physical connection to the database, not a gateway or proxy connection.
• If your target server is SQL Server, Oracle, or Teradata, you can use Windows Authentication to connect. Before you use this connection option, check with your Database Administrator to verify that Windows Authentication is set up for your Windows account.
• If your target server is SQL Azure, see Connecting to SQL Azure for specific connection information.
• Verify your User Name and Password information if you plan to use the database connection option.
• Know other details about database parameters and values you require to connect, for example, the server and database name, the connection string, the alternate catalog, and so on, as is appropriate for your target server.

More information:

Execute a Query Against a Database