Lesson 3 — The Metadata Source Landscape
Organizations rarely begin with no Metadata. They begin with Metadata scattered everywhere. The enterprise problem is to connect and govern those sources.
Fifteen source families
- Application Metadata repositories — local application/tool Metadata.
- Business Glossary — terms, concepts, definitions, ownership, workflow/status.
- BI tools — report definitions, calculations, filters, fields, layouts, users, distribution.
- CMDB / configuration tools — IT assets, versions, configuration items, relationships.
- Data Dictionaries — data-set/element names, descriptions, properties, defaults, storage, relationships, uniqueness.
- Data Integration tools — mappings, transformations, movement, transient files, lineage, job status/duration.
- DBMS/system catalogs — tables, columns, indexes, constraints, views, procedures, sizes, versions.
- Data Mapping Management tools — mapping specifications, versions, change analysis.
- Data Quality tools — profiles, validation rules, scores, patterns, exceptions.
- Directories/Catalogs — what sources/systems/assets exist and where they are.
- Event Messaging tools — event interfaces, movement logic, implementation details, processing statistics.
- Modeling tools/repositories — conceptual/logical/physical model objects and relationships.
- Reference Data repositories — domains, codes, descriptions, mappings, relationships.
- Service Registries — endpoints, interfaces, operations, parameters, policies, versions, availability.
- Other Metadata stores — code sets, business rules, registries, spatial/temporal schemas, repositories of repositories, specialized stores.
Three source distinctions the exam likes
Business Glossary vs Data Dictionary vs Directory/Catalog
Ask what the person needs:
- “What does Net Revenue mean, and who owns it?” → Business Glossary.
- “What is CUSTOMER_ID’s datatype/default/uniqueness?” → Data Dictionary.
- “Which systems contain Customer history?” → Directory/Catalog.
Modern platforms may combine all three behind one search interface. The conceptual roles remain different.
CMDB vs enterprise Metadata repository
A CMDB describes IT configuration assets and relationships. It can be a valuable source, but it is not the broader enterprise environment that integrates definitions, mappings, lineage, DQ, stewardship, models, and other Metadata.
Source vs repository
A local tool produces or stores Metadata for its scope. Enterprise Metadata Management integrates, standardizes, governs, relates, and delivers Metadata across scopes.
Source-selection rule
The exam often asks for the strongest source for a question, not the most sophisticated tool.
- Business meaning → glossary.
- Field structure → dictionary/system catalog/model.
- System discovery → catalog/directory.
- Service interface → service registry.
- DQ profile/score → DQ tool.
- Source-to-target logic → integration/mapping tool.
Source anchor: pp. 403–407.