Method and system for generating an information catalog

• US 20050216482A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ponessa, Steven J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A method computer system, computer program product and graphical interface for generating and displaying an information catalog relating to a business model. The method includes accessing technical metadata from a data warehouse, accessing business metadata from a first source outside of the data warehouse, accessing presentation metadata from a second source outside of the data warehouse, and applying the presentation metadata to the technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog. The information catalog comprises the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with the presentation format specified by the presentation metadata. The technical metadata is associated with data used by computer applications. The computer applications support business processes of the business model.

Claims

1. A method for generating an information catalog relating to a business model, comprising the steps of:

accessing technical metadata from a data warehouse, said technical metadata being associated with data used by computer applications, said computer applications supporting business processes of the business model;

accessing business metadata from a first source outside of the data warehouse, said business metadata comprising relationships between the business processes and the computer applications, said business metadata further comprising relationships between the computer applications and the technical metadata;

accessing presentation metadata from a second source outside of the data warehouse, said second source being independent of the first source, said presentation metadata specifying a presentation format of the technical metadata and business metadata; and

applying the presentation metadata to the technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog, said information catalog comprising the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with the presentation format specified by the presentation metadata.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein prior to the applying step the method further comprises parsing the technical metadata and the business metadata to form a source tree such that the source tree comprises the parsed business metadata and parsed technical metadata logically linked to each other,

wherein the applying step comprises traversing the source tree to form a result tree that includes the logically linked technical metadata and business metadata integrated with the presentation metadata, and

wherein the method further comprises transforming the result tree into the information catalog such that the information catalog comprises files formatted in accordance with the presentation metadata.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein traversing the source tree comprises traversing the source tree in accordance with a recursive descent algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising after the applying step:

generating a graphical interface for an end user of the method by executing the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface is driven by the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface includes a package list frame, an object list frame driven by the package list frame, and a detail frame driven by the object list frame, wherein the package list frame includes selectable applications of said computer applications and selectable associated table creators of tables relating to the technical data, wherein the object list frame is adapted to include selectable tables driven by a computer application and associated table creator selected from the package list frame, and wherein the detail frame is adapted to include table information relating to a table selected from the object list frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information catalog comprises result files selected from the group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files, PDF files, ZIP files, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source comprises at least one eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file comprising the business metadata.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the XML file includes well-formed HTML code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second source comprises at least one eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) stylesheet comprising the presentation metadata.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data warehouse is a relational database management system, and wherein the technical data is stored in tables of the relational database management system.

10. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

accessing additional technical data from the first source; and

applying the presentation metadata to the additional technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog.

11. A computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable memory unit coupled to the processor, said memory unit including an information catalog compiler that when executed by the processor implements a method for generating an information catalog relating to a business model, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

accessing technical metadata from a data warehouse, said technical metadata being associated with data used by computer applications, said computer applications supporting business processes of the business model;

accessing business metadata from a first source outside of the data warehouse, said business metadata comprising relationships between the business processes and the computer applications, said business metadata further comprising relationships between the computer applications and the technical metadata;

accessing presentation metadata from a second source outside of the data warehouse, said second source being independent of the first source, said presentation metadata specifying a presentation format of the technical metadata and business metadata; and

applying the presentation metadata to the technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog, said information catalog comprising the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with the presentation format specified by the presentation metadata.

12. The computer system of claim 11,:

wherein prior to the applying step the method further comprises parsing the technical metadata and the business metadata to form a source tree such that the source tree comprises the parsed business metadata and parsed technical metadata logically linked to each other,

wherein the applying step comprises traversing the source tree to form a result tree that includes the logically linked technical metadata and business metadata integrated with the presentation metadata, and

wherein the method further comprises transforming the result tree into the information catalog such that the information catalog comprises files formatted in accordance with the presentation metadata.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein traversing the source tree comprises traversing the source tree in accordance with a recursive descent algorithm.

14. The computer system of claim 11, said method further comprising after the applying step:

generating a graphical interface for an end user of the method by executing the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface is driven by the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface includes a package list frame, an object list frame driven by the package list frame, and a detail frame driven by the object list frame, wherein the package list frame includes selectable applications of said computer applications and selectable associated table creators of tables relating to the technical data, wherein the object list frame is adapted to include selectable tables driven by a computer application and associated table creator selected from the package list frame, and wherein the detail frame is adapted to include table information relating to a table selected from the object list frame.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the information catalog comprises result files selected from the group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files, PDF files, ZIP files, and combinations thereof.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first source comprises at least one eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file comprising the business metadata.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the XML file includes well-formed HTML code.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the second source comprises at least one extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) stylesheet comprising the presentation metadata.

19. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the data warehouse is a relational database management system, and wherein the technical data is stored in tables of the relational database management system.

20. The computer system of claim 11, said method further comprising:

accessing additional technical data from the first source; and

applying the presentation metadata to the additional technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog.

21. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm adapted to implement a method for generating an information catalog relating to a business model, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing technical metadata from a data warehouse, said technical metadata being associated with data used by computer applications, said computer applications supporting business processes of the business model;

accessing business metadata from a first source outside of the data warehouse, said business metadata comprising relationships between the business processes and the computer applications, said business metadata further comprising relationships between the computer applications and the technical metadata;

accessing presentation metadata from a second source outside of the data warehouse, said second source being independent of the first source, said presentation metadata specifying a presentation format of the technical metadata and business metadata; and

applying the presentation metadata to the technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog, said information catalog comprising the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with the presentation format specified by the presentation metadata.

22. The computer program product of claim 21,

wherein prior to the applying step the method further comprises parsing the technical metadata and the business metadata to form a source tree such that the source tree comprises the parsed business metadata and parsed technical metadata logically linked to each other,

wherein the applying step comprises traversing the source tree to form a result tree that includes the logically linked technical metadata and business metadata integrated with the presentation metadata, and

wherein the method further comprises transforming the result tree into the information catalog such that the information catalog comprises files formatted in accordance with the presentation metadata.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein traversing the source tree comprises traversing the source tree in accordance with a recursive descent algorithm.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, said method further comprising after the applying step:

generating a graphical interface for an end user of the method by executing the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface is driven by the information catalog, wherein the graphical interface includes a package list frame, an object list frame driven by the package list frame, and a detail frame driven by the object list frame, wherein the package list frame includes selectable applications of said computer applications and selectable associated table creators of tables relating to the technical data, wherein the object list frame is adapted to include selectable tables driven by a computer application and associated table creator selected from the package list frame, and wherein the detail frame is adapted to include table information relating to a table selected from the object list frame.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the information catalog comprises result files selected from the group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files, PDF files, ZIP files, and combinations thereof.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the first source comprises at least one eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file comprising the business metadata.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the XML file includes well-formed HTML code.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the second source comprises at least one eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) stylesheet comprising the presentation metadata.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the data warehouse is a relational database management system, and wherein the technical data is stored in tables of the relational database management system.

30. The computer program product of claim 21, said method further comprising:

accessing additional technical data from the first source; and

applying the presentation metadata to the additional technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog.

31. A graphical interface of a computer system, comprising package list frame, an object list frame driven by the package list frame, and a detail frame driven by the object list frame,

said computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable memory unit coupled to the processor,

said memory unit including an information catalog compiler that when executed by the processor implements a method for generating an information catalog relating to a business model,

said graphical interface adapted to being navigated by an end user of the method,

said method comprising generating the information catalog by applying presentation metadata to technical metadata and business metadata such that the information catalog comprises the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with a presentation format specified by the presentation metadata,

said technical metadata being associated with data used by computer applications supporting business processes of the business model,

said package list frame including selectable applications of said computer applications and selectable associated table creators of tables relating to the technical metadata,

said object list frame being adapted to include selectable tables driven by a computer application and associated table creator selected from the package list frame,

said detail frame being adapted to include table information relating to a table selected from the object list frame.

32. The graphical interface of claim 31, wherein the detail frame is adapted to display an overview of the business model.

33. The graphical interface of claim 32, wherein the overview includes selectable processes of the business processes.

34. The graphical interface of claim 32, wherein the overview includes selectable applications of the computer applications.

35. The graphical interface of claim 31, wherein the package list frame, object list frame, and a detail frame are adapted to be generated by executing files of the information catalog.

36. The graphical interface of claim 35, wherein the files are selected from the group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files, PDF files, ZIP files, and combinations thereof.