Professional data modeler.

            Metadata server.

                        Data dictionary.




        Metadata Server

          ( Please scroll down. )

The CoreModel system includes a Metadata Server sub-system which maintains a repository as a dynamic public interface to allow metadata consumption by external systems. This page gives a brief description to supplement the documentation page which gives a complete description.

For an organization that requires around-the-clock or world-wide metadata service, the CoreModel Metadata Server may be configured and activated to operate automatically and autonomously on its own computers.

CoreModel now enables an organization to centrally model and administer its entire data structure.

Use of the metadata server is not required. The server is turned off in a new system installation and must be configured and turned on by the system administrator.

It's a little embarrassing to make such a big deal over one little tool, since this system incorporates numerous tools and protocols, but since the microsoft marketing machine is making it the latest industry buzzword and a de riqueur system component, and because the masses slavishly follow Microsoft, this is to let the world know that CoreModel speaks XML as well as HTML. Furthermore, it is schema based XML from which is constructed the self-describing public interface through the data dictionary. In other words, the system side of the CoreModel Metadata Server constructs its data dictionary within the schema based XML language. (The human interface is delivered via HTML as described elsewhere. )

The CoreModel Metadata Server actually consists of two separate servers. Each specializes in a different type of interface to the same information. They can be run locally and manually by the administrator, but these servers are designed to run autonomously on unattended computers to maintain the data repository for an organization. Each server may be run on a separate computer, or they may be run on the same computer.

The human oriented server is an automated web site administrator which creates and maintains a complete CoreModel web site for human consumption. The size and complexity of the web site is determined by the server which automatically reconfigures the site to match live modeling activities. For a large organization, with heavy data modeling, the coremodel web site may seem overwhelming, but should be of no concern to a human administrator. If the organization already has a web site, the CoreModel site administrator may be configured to automatically tie into the master site to make the CoreModel site part of the master.

The system oriented server maintains a data dictionary interface which is more appropriate as an interface to external systems which require metadata. The system interface resides within schema based XML. The metadata for this metadata is documented on the web site and the server maintains published pointers into the dictionary so that other systems can find their way into the dictionary without human intervention. The CoreModel system is architected to allow external systems to connect to it through this interface.

After a model is complete and has been actualized, it may then be published through metadata conversion by CoreModel. Publication is affected through formal controls within the CoreModel system. The publication is controlled by both the modeler and the (human) system administrator. (See Model Release below.)

The translation of a model into metadata is handled entirely by the CoreModel Metadata Server. All of the model's structures, objects, characteristics, and data are translated, organized, and moved into the repository.

A model is released to the Metadata Server by the modeler, so that each modeler controls the publication of his model. After a model is released by the modeler, the system administrator must release it to the server. After both releases have been made for a model, the administrator must insure that the server has been told to include models in its publications.

Since the data dictionary presents an interface which is expected to be used by external systems and agents, with perhaps dynamic links being formed by external systems, publication cannot be rescinded by the modeler. However, the model is dynamically linked to the metadata interface, so changes made by the modeler to the model are transmitted to the interface to allow updates directly into metadata consumers.

Since the CoreModel system automatically and autonomously administers its web site and data repository, the metadata is dynamically driven by changes as they are made by data modelers. The server modules within CoreModel are toggled on or off and have parameters that are controlled by the human system administrator, but the CoreModel servers otherwise independently maintain the web site and the data dictionary so that a link is maintained between the metadata and the models.

This autonomous nature and the fact that CoreModel generates schema based XML (microsoft managers ought to be proud of all this xml nonsense) also allows external data management systems to be driven from within the CoreModel modeling operations.

Please load the documentation page for a complete description.

This web site was created with and is maintained with
Notepad and FTP from the DOS prompt.

Copyright 1999 - 2006 John Ragan.
CoreReader, CoreModel, and AxleBase are registered trademarks.