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August 16, 2006

Known by many names; the Repository

When people think of metadata and the supporting application, they commonly refer to it as the repository. However, there are really four different classes of repositories that can be cross referenced against the various information states. First, a knowledge store that only contains structured information is a registry. Nothing wrong with registries, the SOA world loves their Web Service Registry built on the UDDI standard. If you add unstructured information, then you have a repository. In the web service world, we might want to add UML diagrams, configuration instructions, SLA, etc. Both the registry and repository are considered passive knowledge stores until you add automation and business process. Automation like impact analysis, subscription services, automatic loading and metrics is really a repository application.

Is there a fourth level? What comes after an active repository with advanced automation? The answer is collaboration. Transforming your active repository into a collaborative environment is the ultimate solution for the world of metadata.

Posted by Todd at August 16, 2006 7:23 PM