Global Modeling is available for Standard Enterprise by request from your SqlDBM Account Manager.

Global Modeling is a collection of features and functions in SqlDBM that allows decentralized teams to work and collaborate across multiple data domains. Using various Global Modeling components, SqlDBM users will find it easier to modularize their projects into manageable chunks while retaining the search, visibility, and lineage visibility they have come to expect in SqlDBM projects.

Global Modeling emerges as a result of various features working together at different stages of development and self-service. As such, Global Modeling can be thought of as an edifice supported by its component pillars, which include:

This article provides a brief overview of the functionality related to each of these pillars, with links at the end to more detailed documentation. It should be noted that Global Modeling is an opt-in setting and should be enabled for those projects that you wish to participate in the sharing and discoverability at the organizational level.

The ability to reference objects from one project to another. Referenced objects are included as read-only and help to modularize business domain separation and dependencies. Users in referencing projects are notified in case of any changes made to those objects in parent projects. This functionality is not limited to projects of the same database type—objects from various databases/data warehouses can be visualized on the same diagram!

Referenced objects are owned by the parent project and are therefore not editable in the projects they are shared with. However, child projects will be notified (via email) when changes occur and will have a chance to review and update their downstream objects, allowing a proactive response.

Global Search allows users to search across all Global-enabled projects right from the SqlDBM dashboard. This allows users to search across the full library of all projects and objects created and shared by your team in SqlDBM. Built with context-aware in-line filtering, Global Search will allow users to cast as broad or narrow a net as needed when looking for desired information.

Today, users can use SqlDBM to enforce standards (for example, using naming conventions, column templates, table templates, flags, etc.). With Global Standards, users will be able to copy these standards from one project to another and maintain them globally, account-wide.

This feature will give users a full visual representation of source-to-target lineage. It will include sources and targets added through Global Reference and those created manually for sources/ targets that SqlDBM does not support, such as dashboards and BI tools. This feature will give users a complete column-level view of how data flows across, within, and beyond their SqlDBM projects.

As you have seen, Global Modeling aims to deliver a diverse set of features across many parts of SqlDBM projects. This article provides an overview of the four main pillars that aim to facilitate data-mesh-style collaboration and domain interoperability across the organization.

However, the vision of Global Modeling is not limited to the functionality outlined on this page. SqlDBM users can look forward to many new enhancements, big and small, that will also be rolling out alongside the principal functionality outlined in this guide. Some examples include:

Stay tuned as these features are released, and be sure to speak to our SqlDBM Account Executive to ensure that they are enabled for your organization.