The Meta Data Key to Information in the Data Warehouse
The InfoCat® solution from Enterprise Solutions provides Business Users with Informational meta data to facilitate effective and knowledgeable use of a Data Warehouse. What is meant by meta data? A literal translation is "data about data" -- i.e. informative data that describes, directs, controls or defines the actual underlying data.
Informational meta data defines to the Business User the availability, content and context of information in the Data Warehouse. The role of Informational meta data is to convey what information is available, how it can be accessed, what it means and how Business intelligence can be extrapolated from the Data Warehouse. This enables Business Users to freely navigate, explore, discover and effectively utilize the information that is contained in the Data Warehouse. InfoCat® is the Informational Meta Data solution that provides Business Users with a roadmap or catalog to the information in a Data Warehouse.
The Key to Knowledge -- Informational Meta Data
A major justification for deploying a Data Warehouse is to empower Business Users to use, explore and analyze business information without the need for MIS assistance and programming. This can only be accomplished if Business Users know what is available, where to find it and how to use it.
InfoCat® is designed to be the Business user's catalog and guide to the Data Warehouse. It is also designed to be the primary means for recording, documenting and communicating information about the Data Warehouse to and between Business Users. InfoCat® is the Business user's primary reference for using the Data Warehouse and creating effective Decision Support Systems. When Business Users need to know, they will turn to InfoCat®.
InfoCat® -- the Business Key to Information
InfoCat® provides the Informational meta data capability in a Data Warehouse environment. The primary objectives of InfoCat® are:
- Provide the Business User with a common, consistent, business oriented view of the corporate information
- Provide a means to catalog, document and publish the available Information Resources
- Provide a means to catalog, document and publish the available Decision Support Applications
- Provide a seamless, integrated knowledge source for effective use of corporate information
- Interpret and communicate Information content in a business context from the underlying technical environment
- Provide a business oriented focal point for the entire Data Warehouse environment
- Intuitive User Interface and Open architecture for flexible integration with many Data Warehouse environments.
Enabling Business Users
InfoCat® is designed to enable all classes of Business Users to obtain information from the Data Warehouse. Business User information requirements and usage vary by job function and decision making empowerment. There are three major profiles of Business User information needs:
- Information Consumers -- these users will generally require predefined information, delivered on a cyclical basis.
- Information Analysts -- these users will generally require a combination of predefined and ad-hoc information needs.
- Information Explorers -- these users will generally satisfy most of their information needs by exploring, correlating and extrapolating new or unique information and business intelligence as demanded by business dynamics.
InfoCat® has two major information domains to service all Business User Informational meta data needs:
- Information Delivery Domain -- Enables Business Users to easily find and use available Decision Support Applications that are documented and cataloged for immediate accessibility according to business needs. Active documentation provides descriptive content and usage guidelines.
- Information Exploratory Domain -- Enables Business Users to search and explore the Data Warehouse for information in response to new or unique business information needs. Provides active documentation and visualization of the Data Warehouse information. Integration with the Data Warehouse facilitates 'data mining' and creation of Decision Support Applications.
InfoCat® Enabling Functions
InfoCat® is designed to enable and facilitate many of the functions pertaining to establishing a Data Warehouse:
- Data Stewardship -- provides the means and tools to implement the Data Steward function. Enables Business Users to manage the Data Warehouse Information.
- Design -- Business Users can define their Informational requirements in a Business context with InfoCat®. MIS Analysts can then use these requirements to design and define the Data Warehouse and Decision Support Applications directly in InfoCat®.
- Publishing -- InfoCat® is used to publish the availability, definition and usage guidelines of the Data Warehouse and Decision Support Applications. Direct 'Accessibility Links' are logically embedded for ease of use.
- Decision Support Application Execution -- Business Users are able to logically locate what they are looking for in a business context and then easily request that the application be executed and information delivered.
- Documentation -- InfoCat® electronically distributes a centrally maintained repository of active documentation that Business Users actually use as part of their business activity. Not the usual reference manual no one reads.
- Data Administration -- Bridges the gap from MIS to Business Users by providing a Business-oriented vehicle for effective use of the corporate information asset.
Business Features
- Intuitive Windows-based Graphical User Interface for ease of use and very low learning requirement
- Easy to use navigational format helps all classes of Business Users explore the Data Warehouse Information and Decision Support Applications
- Application Links' automatically launch the selected Decision Support Application without the Business Users having to learn to use the underlying DSS tool
- Accessibility Links' provide Data Warehouse information sampling and interrogation without the need for a separate query tool
- Navigation and Search methods provide 'top down' and 'bottom up' views of exploring the Data Warehouse Information and DSS Applications
- Designed to support the Dimensional nature of Data Warehouse information
- Provides the capability to segment a single Data Warehouse by Business defined rules -- for example, segment Sales by region for regional users while retaining a global view for corporate users
- Facilitates and encourages information and knowledge dissemination and sharing
- Functional Registry capability enables customization and flexibility to suit your specific needs
- Supports multiple, independent Data Warehouses
Technical Features
- Distributed Application using industry standard technology
- Open Architecture for compatibility and integration with a variety of Data Warehouse environments
- Utilizes any* ODBC compliant DBMS as the meta data repository
- Supports any* ODBC compliant Database Server used for the Data Warehouse
- Facilitates and promotes use and reuse of predefined DSS Applications and standard SQL Templates
- Supports local, workgroup and enterprise level meta data catalogs
- Environment and configuration options enables deployment customization and flexibility