Describing physical data stores
A physical data store represents the implementation of a logical data store.
You can use only the following data stores in an application system structure diagram as well as in an application structure diagram:
• Local or external
• RE (Relationship Entity) or RDB (Relational Database).
Relational Database data store represents a data store in the form of tables or table views.
A Relationship Entity data store describes a database in the form of entities or classes.
Creating a local RDB physical data store
A local data store represents a data store used only inside the system described.
To create, for example, a local RDB physical data store based on an application system structure diagram:
1. Open the diagram that interests you.
2. In the application system structure diagram insert toolbar, click Local RDB Physical Data Store.
3. Click in the frame of the described application system.
A creation dialog box prompts you to select RDB physical data structure. This is the RDB physical structure that will concretely support the database.
4. Select an existing RDB physical domain, or create a new application system.
5. Click OK.
The local RDB physical data store appears in the diagram with the name of the physical domain.
A physical RDB domain is held by a database.
Creating an external RE physical data store
An external data store represents a data store used inside and outside of the system described.
To create, for example, an external RE physical data store based on an application system structure diagram:
1. Open the diagram that interests you.
2. In the application system structure diagram insert toolbar, click External ER Physical Data Store.
3. Click in the frame of the described application system.
A creation dialog box prompts you to select RE physical data structure. This is the RE physical structure that will concretely support the database.
4. Select an existing RE physical data domain, or create a new application system.
5. Click OK.
The external RE physical data store appears on the border of the diagram with the name of the external RE physical data domain.
A physical RE domain is held by a package.
Describing access to a physical data store
The following components can have read and right access to a physical data store:
• Application system use type elements representing the two application systems used.
An application system use describes the role of an application system in a composition relationship with a parent application system or in an application system environment.
• Application components representing the applications used.
An application service component represents the fact that the application system used plays a role in the described application.
• The platform application components.
A platform application component represents the fact that the technology used plays a role of platform in the described application. For example, Tomcat is a platform component for SageCRM.
To create a read access to the data store:
1. In the diagram insert toolbar, click Link.
2. Draw a link between the data store and the entity that reads the data (component or application system use).
A Read-only access to data storage is automatically created with the link from the data store to the entity.
To create a link with write access, you must draw a link between this entity and the data store to which it has write access. A
Write access to data storage is then automatically created.