Can IA push metadata to Metadata Workbench?

truenorth · Post by **truenorth** » Sun May 09, 2010 8:00 pm

We are still awaiting installation of IA 8.1.2. Hence we are unable to play and experiment with the tools.

Does IA have any capability to move/copy/export enhanced metadata - i.e., metadata that had been modified in IA - to Metadata Workbench? If so, will such an action overwrite the metadata in Metadata Workbench? And if so, how does one prevent overwriting?

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Sun May 09, 2010 10:25 pm

The metadata are stored in shared tables in the combined repository (XMETA). Tools read and write it there. On that basis, the concept of IA pushing metadata to MWB, or even of metadata being "in" MWB, are wide of the mark.

No matter which tools import the metadata, it ends up (or can end up, in the case of DataStage/QualityStage) in XMETA. Once it has been imported once, the best practice is that other tools use that copy.

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Mon May 10, 2010 6:28 am

Exactly as Ray has said.... if you import a Shared Table in IA, it's just "there" in Metadata Workbench. An exception to this are the "results".....results of analysis have to be published for a selected table or column (with notes, etc.)....... results describe details and data details might not be something you want everyone to see ...so you have to make a conscious decision to "publish" those results from inside of IA and then they will be visibible within Workbench and in DataStage and in FastTrack and in Business Glossary.

Ernie

truenorth · Post by **truenorth** » Mon May 10, 2010 4:01 pm

Thanks, gents.

Actually, we want the detail records - not just the report - to be visible outside IA. We plan to use Oracle BI (Answers, Discovers) for reporting.

But if we modify or enhance metadata from inside IA, we don't want to clobber what metadata was already created in MWB.

Thanks for all the help.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon May 10, 2010 4:18 pm

What metadata are you likely to change within IA? (And, for that matter, how?)

Structures of tables within IADB are not documented, but are very easy to deduce.

truenorth · Post by **truenorth** » Mon May 10, 2010 7:33 pm

We might add terms, contacts, policies, others. Page 49 of the v8.1.2 User Guide describes how: Metadata Management.

What's not clear to us yet is how this affects metadata already in MWB, how the two tools work together.

(btw, nice quote)

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon May 10, 2010 10:55 pm

I would imagine that the additional attributes will be stored as additional attributes and not affect (other than maybe they can be seen by) other tools such as MWB.

I haven't had a time to browse XMETA fully since a couple of point releases back, so can not (yet) speak authoratively on this one. But, then, who has?

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Tue May 11, 2010 4:54 am

Think of MWB as the "binoculars" into XMETA. If you add various bits and pieces while inside of IA, they will, or should, appear inside of XMETA and therefore, Metadata Workbench. Every once in awhile I find an attribute that is not being exposed in the Workbench, but that is rare, and certainly, you aren't going to "trash" or "hurt" anything.....they are all additional attributes, columns, properties, tables, etc. and usually will appear within the WB very nicely and even MORE importantly, be available to the Query tool within WB.

Use them if you have a creative reason!

Ernie

truenorth · Post by **truenorth** » Tue May 11, 2010 4:00 pm

And I take it a change to an existing attribute will not trash others.

Thanks again, gentlemen. You made this a lot clearer.