John Singer is a 26-year veteran information systems professional who has focused on data management activities including data administration, database administration and enteprise architecture in both staff and management roles. Currently working as a data architect at MasterCard Worldwide, he is focusing on metadata management and corporate taxonomy management. In prior positions, Mr. Singer is a former MetaGroup industry analyst, and also has experience with pharmaceutical, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and criminal justice systems. John teaches graduate level courses as an adjunct faculty member of Webster University.
They say what goes around comes around and this certainly applies to the meta data information repository. Over the last 25 years, each great evolution of information systems technology and best practices has bred the same set of issues and the invariable vendor response - the meta data repository (or some derivation). What is this problem that keeps recurring? Simply put, as newer technologies are used to develop systems, the increase in complexity breaks the system management status quo. The answer always involves storing information about the system components in a central place for analysis - i.e., the meta data repository. It hasn't always been called this, but nonetheless, the basic approach to solving IT management complexity is the same. We are now witnessing this event playing out once more, but I'm getting ahead of the story.
This article seeks to examine the phenomena of meta data repositories, identifying common patterns of process and technology. Despite what appears to be great similarities, differing IT constituencies and problem domains suggest that a one-size-fits-all solution approach will not work. Finally, in part 2, I will define a strategy for successfully implementing an IT knowledge management program based on meta data repository concepts.