Metadata Solutions: Using Metamodels, Repositories, XML, and Enterprise Portals to Generate Information on Demand [Paperback]

Adrienne Tannenbaum (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201719762 | ISBN-13: 978-0201719765 | Publication Date: August 24, 2001 | Edition: 1

Metadata is increasingly central to enterprise IT architecture, and to applications ranging from data warehousing to CRM. Finally, there's a comprehensive, start-to-finish guide to implementing metadata solutions. Leading data management consultant Adrienne Tannenbaum covers the real issues associated with bringing together data from multiple sources, identifies the key challenges to building effective metadata systems, and presents practical solutions. Tannenbaum begins by focusing on data, its relationship to knowledge, why it is so hard to locate, and how metadata can help. She reviews the key elements of a metadata solution, including metamodels, metadata stores, and repositories, and presents a complete methodology for planning and implementing a metadata solution. She reviews non-technical factors such as readiness and scoping, as well as technical issues such as architecture, exchange, and presentation. Tannenbaum compares today's leading metadata approaches and solutions, including solutions that leave metadata in place, accessing it through a common portal or gateway, as well as solutions that centralize metadata. The book concludes with a thorough discussion of managing metadata solutions and maintaining metadata quality. Throughout, Tannenbaum presents extensive real-world examples and case studies garnered from her extensive consulting experience.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

I remember when data became a specialty in its own right. No longer viewed as simply being supportive of the processes within an organization, data became an asset that led to solid decision making and improved processes. Data, which sometimes had been collected in haphazard ways, in fact, became so valuable that people were trying to logically connect sporadic and isolated data. As the attempts to unify data were taking place, we all realized that its locations, characteristics, definitions, sources, and access were becoming equally important. Hence, the "birth" of metadata.

Associating metadata solely with data does not do it justice. In fact, there are so many aspects to the world of information that metadata needs to embrace each and every one of them. Whether we realize it or not, metadata is already everywhere. All we are missing is an organized view of metadata, despite its origin. Today's world of information needs an associated metadata solution.

Many of us have already learned that metadata is everywhere, but despite this discovery, we have created more of it, in more places. It is time to make an honest assessment of the metadata efforts and begin to focus on metadata as the gateway to all information. To do that we must understand what metadata really is, where it actually comes from, and how to expand its role in the world of automated intelligence.

Few will debate the importance of metadata. It is time, then, for a book that tackles metadata in a way that will clearly lead the reader toward a metadata solution. Intended Audience If you have been given the task of managing your organization's information, this book is clearly for you. Likewise, if you are wondering why the data "dictionaries" or "repositories" that have been offered to you just don't seem to serve their intended roles, this book clearly explains what should have been accomplished. Because metadata is, potentially so broad, this book is meant to provide an excellent "backbone" for those who are charged with actually building a full metadata solution. The following are some of the individuals who will benefit the most from this approach.

Chief information and/or technology officers who are responsible for assessing the metadata situation within their organizations with the objective of beginning a full, practical, metadata solution implementation process

Business users who have experienced data inaccuracy, lack of available metadata, and a general inability to find the information they need

Information technology project managers who are responsible for overseeing the design and development of any data-intense application. Examples include a data warehouse, integrated database, decision support application, customer relationship management application, reengineered series of legacy databases, and/or any type of project that requires an assessment of "what is," with the objective of planning a "to be" improvement.

Data management professionals who are responsible for the administration, standardization, sharing, and organization of corporate data, especially those with previous experiences that resulted in unsuccessful repository or metadata solution implementations

Developers, especially those who are faced with integrating or analyzing existing corporate applications

Software vendors that are struggling with a need to supply standard metadata to product consumers while integrating their own software into a metadata accessible result

Consulting professionals, particularly those who have faced implementation issues at client companies due to the lack of readily available and accurate metadata

This book provides information and content that will enlighten all of these individual groups. The next section describes some aspects of the book that may appear to be quite technical. How This Book Is Organized Consider Metadata Solutions: Using Metamodels, Repositories, XML, and Enterprise Portals to Generate Information on Demand as the first book to address the metadata situation from the beginning through to a practical solution and then into its future maintenance and enhancement. As such, the book has been divided into six parts.

Part I, Today's Information, prepares readers for the book's subsequent discussion of metadata. By looking at information in a way that many may never have considered, this part provides an overview of information and its many existing perspectives. Then, the information problems that have surfaced are discussed. Finally, this part reviews information solutions that have been tried, and for the most part are still in existence, and explains where they fell short. At the conclusion of Part I, the reader should be ready to discuss metadata. Many experienced information practitioners can skip this part, but even with information integration experience, some eyes may still be opened.

Part II, Metadata as Part of the Solution, begins the discussion of metadata itself. First, a solid definition of today's buzzword focuses readers on how tunnel vision can even affect cross-application concepts such as metadata. The part begins the metadata requirements process. By stepping you through a methodology that first identifies metadata beneficiaries, determines metadata requirements, and then begins a categorization process, Part II gets the reader used to metamodels. Metadata stores--the physical storage locations for metadata--are also discussed, giving you various options as to how metamodels can be implemented. As a way of reminding the reader that metadata solutions are much more than the storage of metamodels, the metadata solution architecture is the last topic discussed in the part.

Part III, Entering Meta-Meta Land, takes us inside the metadata solution. To deal with the fact that metadata is everywhere, a true metadata solution needs to be cognizant of the location and access requirements of existing metadata. In addition, metadata solutions all process and display their metadata differently based on the type of metadata. Designers and developers of true metadata solutions must be able to treat metadata with a software perspective. Part III focuses on what metadata means to a tool and discusses the meta-metamodel. Once this basic understanding is covered, metadata-based technologies, such as repositories, the Web, XML, and file management systems, are all discussed. Some aspects of the part may be too technical for the casual reader, but the chapters do clearly explain the internals of metadata solution technology.

Part IV, Beginning the Metadata Solution Process, discusses implementation-specific aspects, other than the metadata and its associated metamodels. Nontechnical factors, such as readiness, scoping, and internal environment changes, are addressed at the beginning of this part. The discussion then moves to technical factors--multitool architecture, metadata update and exchange, metadata presentation. A chapter is dedicated to metadata solution technical support, specifically metadata and repository administration. Part IV ends with advice on determining the right solution.

Part V, Sample Metadata Solutions, begins with a case study--A Typical Metadata Disaster--that equates to a very common metadata situation within corporate America. Succeeding chapters illustrate actual metadata solution implementations that are all focused on solving the identified disaster. Illustrated solutions (often including actual program code, metamodels, and architectural diagrams) include a centralized repository, an integrated repository architecture, an information directory, metadata-interexchange using XML, a standalone metadata store, and an enterprise portal. Although some aspects of this part are quite technical, I strongly urge all readers to at least browse the various solutions.

Part VI, Maintaining the Metadata Solution, describes how the metadata solution stays alive. One way is by ensuring that it meets the requirements of its targeted beneficiaries. This final part discusses the organizational responsibilities that go along with such a task; it also focuses on how to ensure the livelihood of the metadata itself by discussing metadata quality. The book closes by pointing out where metadata meets the business strategy, now and into the future. Reading Paths Implementing a metadata solution involves a variety of skills, from business analysis all the way through to technical application and interface development. As such, the chapters in this book range in terms of primary audience and interest level. Those chapters that are geared purely to those responsible for hands-on metadata solution delivery because they contain sample code or metadata solution internals have been labeled Technical at the upper right corner of the first page in each chapter.

To accommodate the different backgrounds of this book's readers, I have set up the following reader categories and noted the chapters that will be of interest.

Information systems management people who need to be aware of the intricacies of metadata solutions, but have not planned to have any hands-on involvement:

− Part 1 - all chapters

− Part 2 - all chapters

− Part 3 - Chapters 15 and 16

− Part 4 - all chapters

− Part 5 - Chapters 21, 24, and 25

− Part 6 - all chapters

Business users who crave a well-implemented metadata solution

− Part 1 - all chapters

− Part 2 - Chapters 7, 8, and 9

− Part 3 - Chapters 15 and 16

− Part 4 - Chapters 17 and 20

− Part 5 - Chapter 21

− Part 6 - all chapters

Technical analysts, and developers who are familiar with database technology

− Part 1 - Chapters 1, 2, and 6

− Part 2 - all chapters

− Part 3 - all chapters

− Part 4 - all chapters

− Part 5 - all chapters

− Part 6 - all chapters

Data management professionals who are familiar with metadata and its current treatment

− Part 1 - Chapters 1, 4, 5, and 6

− Part 2 - all chapters

− Part 3 - Chapter 12, 14, 15, and 16

− Part 4 - all chapters

− Part 5 - all chapters

− Part 6 - all chapters Model Legend Throughout the book, various models are used to illustrate metadata relationships, metamodels, and metadata flows. Because, unfortunately, there really is no uniform way of depicting models these days, a figure that shows the various symbols you will see in this book will be printed on the inside cover.

Most of the illustrations in this book follow my default modeling characteristics, at the top of the figure. However, because other illustrations and models have been brought in from other sources, it is important to understand their notations, as depicted. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the standard followed by the Object Management Group (OMG). What Is Your Objective?

As you read this book, you should be correlating the described metadata situations with those of your own. Actual case studies, submitted by large organizations that have lived through metadata-related situations, are used throughout the book. You should consider how a renewed metadata perspective, like the one discussed throughout this book, can revitalize the metadata that exists at your organization. Readers should expect to gain enough knowledge to move forward on a hands-on metadata solution implementation of any scope.

0201719762P04172001

From the Back Cover

"The book you are about to read is the essential guide, for once and for all making metadata management an intrinsic, immutable part of today's and tomorrow's information systems."
--Alan Simon, Deloitte Consulting, Data Warehousing Solutions Group

With the advent of data warehousing and the growing importance of data access through the Internet, it is essential for all IT professionals to be familiar with metadata. Written by one of the world's foremost information technology experts, Metadata Solutions is a practical guide to understanding and using metadata as a gateway to information. This book serves as a blueprint for designing and implementing a metadata solution that effectively handles information access and exchange within and across organizations.

Metadata Solutions offers an enlightening overview of the role of metadata within current IT trends. The author provides detailed treatment of metadata, metamodels, meta-metadata, and meta-metamodel concepts and structures. She offers in-depth descriptions of specific metadata-based technologies and standards, featuring the benefits and drawbacks of each. With a practical approach, this book presents step-by-step instructions for implementing and maintaining a metadata solution, and provides sample solutions appropriate for a variety of informational needs and circumstances. Most important, it serves as a guide for organizations that are coping with metadata.

Coverage includes the following specific topics:

• A review of conventional approaches to information definition, design, and access (data modeling, databases, data warehousing)
• A renewed perspective on previous attempts at data management
• Identification and organization of metadata requirements without setting up yet another database
• Examination of vendor, standard, and custom metamodels
• The meta-metamodel and the impact of extensibility
• Metadata solution components, including stores and displays
• Types of metadata solutions, including repositories, XML-based exchange, and enterprise portals
• The metadata roles and standards of today and tomorrow
• Information about metadata security
• Organizational structures for creating, managing, and maintaining the metadata solution
• Ways to expand existing metadata solutions
• Sample metadata solution implementations

Numerous case studies, drawn from extensive industry experience, illustrate real-world applications of metadata techniques and concepts. A typical metadata disaster scenario, with associated implementation examples, will help you identify ways to avoid common pitfalls. With this book as your guide, you will be well prepared to explore, choose, implement, and maintain a metadata solution to transform your organization's data into a more accessible and valuable resource.

0201719762B07122001

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (August 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201719762
• ISBN-13: 978-0201719765
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > XML

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work Adrienne Tannenbaum.................., September 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Metadata Solutions: Using Metamodels, Repositories, XML, and Enterprise Portals to Generate Information on Demand (Paperback)

I've read other books on metadata and repositories, but Metadata
Solutions is the best in that it has actual examples of metadata
solutions, including code. Real case studies from named Fortune 50 Corporations also show that it is not a book on pure theory it illustrates pragmatic approaches that are real, and can be accmplished with short term timeframes. Overall quite practical. The company names are actually mentioned. Everybody
that has a need for exchanging and sharing data across divisions within an enterprise from disparate data sources whether supporting business end-users or I/T systems end-users and/or any interest in metadata should read this - it covers everything from planning and design through implementation. A must read.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for portal architects, September 22, 2001

By 

Mike Tarrani "www.tarrani.com" (Deltona, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Metadata Solutions: Using Metamodels, Repositories, XML, and Enterprise Portals to Generate Information on Demand (Paperback)

This book is not only essential for architects involved with portal design, but also the supporting cast of data architects, business analysts and process modelers. If the "XML" or "portal" keywords in the title led you top this book and you are not exactly sure what a "metadata solution is", the following definition from the book succinctly describes it and the theme of the book itself: Metadata solution An organized and integrated set of related metadata, logically connected but physically separate, with common access points and methods."

The author covers the topic thoroughly, starting with an exhaustive discussion of information and its value to business that spans the first six chapters. Some excellent case studies are included to reinforce concepts. Part II consists of five chapters that take information up one level of abstraction and introduce metadata. Topics in this section start with requirements, and move to modeling. It's worth noting here that the OMG Open Information Model notation is heavily used in this section of the book. This should not be a problem because the notation is easy to follow and is widely known and used, reducing any learning curve to zero for experienced architects and modelers.

Part III's three chapters delve into the underlying infrastructure technologies and tools. I especially liked the chapter on repositories, as well as the one that provided a balanced view of standards. Part IV is where the pace picks up with four chapters devoted to factors you need to consider before designing the solution. The case studies that are included in some of these chapters are important reading because they portray the issues and challenges that are associated with the factors. The last chapter in this section leads you through the design selection process.

I especially like Section V, which is a catalog of solutions that thoroughly examine each aspect of the solution. It starts off with a chapter that describes a typical disaster, followed by viable solutions presented in a format that can be easily recast into design patterns. I also like Section VI, which covers post-implementation administration and maintenance. The three chapters in this section cover topics that are often overlooked until a solution is ready to go into production or (in too many cases) after it has been released into production.

Key points about this book: (1) It is unique in that it addresses the data abstraction requirements of portals, and does so comprehensively. (2) Provides an end-to-end view of metadata from concept to final solution using real life examples and sound techniques. This is a refreshing change from many books that address metadata, but are so abstract themselves that it is difficult to transform the concepts into a working solution. (3) Addresses post implementation issues, which is something I have never come across in a book on metadata.

This is an important work and is essential reading for key players in a portal design and implementation project. Five stars and my highest recommendation.

30 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Metadata Solutions, November 21, 2001

By 

Shiraz H Kassam (Edison, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metadata Solutions: Using Metamodels, Repositories, XML, and Enterprise Portals to Generate Information on Demand (Paperback)

Metadata Solution Review:

As a practicing Data and Metadata Architect, I have noted with interest Ms Tannenbaum attempt to offer solutions to a very difficult problem namely first of articulating what metadata is and then managing it to make it useful in full understanding of the data/information/knowledge chain within an organization.

The book traces historical roots of the issue by introducing the data/ information systems developments in organization and respective development of complexity. She then introduces the world of metadata. The treatment of identification of what metadata is, various meta-metadata models is indeed in-depth but makes very dense reading (only data bigots will love these sections). Her treatment of solution is also covers a range of possibilities and various case histories at the end of book only go on to illustrate that metadata problems and solution are varied and complex.

The book suffers from two omissions. One, is that the definition of the metadata is leaves out a significant area namely that of the business metadata i.e. metadata that would adds further information/understanding to organized data e.g. reports. Examples of Business metadata are industry reports, internal documents and communication which form a major portion of the current metadata universe but receive scant attention.

The second omission is examples of what constitutes good metadata vs. mediocre (bad) metadata. Writing good definition is no trivial task. "Receipt_Date - Date when the goods are received" is typical of the definitions in any organization dictionary and yet these definitions are less than useless as they lead you believe that the data(s) are defined when in fact they are not. Take for instance an oil tanker disembarking it's cargo which may take over two days - what is the Receipt_Date?

Overall the book tries perhaps to cover too large an arena and fails to offer depth that would make it more useful.