Erwin - Still Good But Expensive
April 26, 2021

Erwin - Still Good But Expensive

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with erwin Data Modeler

Erwin was used as a true enterprise data modeling tool, largely by a team of data architects and modelers, to ensure consistent modeling across the corporation. As a large organization it helped address the needs of multiple developers often needing to work within the same model at the same time. It also provided centralization an assured developers were working with the correct version of the model.
  • Easy to reverse engineer existing databases to bring them into the model or account for drift.
  • Intuitive interface for developers just starting out with the tool.
  • Large number of options on how to display a data model visually, which is critical when dealing with very large models.
  • Cost is the single largest barrier to entry with this tool.
  • Would like to see a greater variety of export options available for use outside of the tool, for example as a vector graphic.
  • Support has been uneven at times.
  • Reduced rework from when models were maintained individually.
  • Reduced the amount of time to generate and compare models during development.
  • Massively reduced the amount of time to reverse engineer 3rd party data models for analysis.
I was unable to find embarcadero or Datanamic DeZign in the list of other products, but those are two others I have used, along with Visio over the years for data modeling. Erwin is one of the premier tools in the space. I would rate it as a top tool, comparable to embarcadero in most respects, with either being an excellent choice if price is no object. However, for smaller shops, having something is better than nothing, and DeZign is a solid data modeling tool that simply does not have all the bells and whistles of an erwin or embarcadero.

Do you think erwin Data Modeler delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with erwin Data Modeler's feature set?

Yes

Did erwin Data Modeler live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of erwin Data Modeler go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy erwin Data Modeler again?

Yes

I have two reservations for ranking erwin higher than I have. One is the cost of the tool. For smaller shops, it can be a tough pill to swallow and difficult to convince management of its value. The other is that I consider erwin to be essentially on par with embarcadero. That being said, erwin is excellent if you need centralized management of your models. This naturally lends itself to a larger shop, but this management is still valuable for smaller companies as well so long as a good process is in place.

erwin Data Modeler Feature Ratings