Common Import and Discovery Framework

• US 20060224633A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Klicnik, Vladimir, Green, John H., Fahmy, Hesham, Seto, Norman K. W.
• Application Number:
  US10/907,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

An import framework imports metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow. At least one discovery agent associated with a metadata repository is provided. Each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository. Metadata is imported from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.

Claims

1. A method for importing metadata, comprising:

providing an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;

providing at least one discovery agent, wherein each discovery agent is associated with a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository; and

importing metadata from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the common use case flow comprises a predetermined set of steps for importing metadata from a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent provides an implementation of each of the steps of the common use case flow.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined set of steps include the step of:

initializing the discovery agent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of initializing the discovery agent further comprises:

requesting a set of initialize parameters from the discovery agent;

receiving from the discovery agent a listing of the initialize parameters it requires;

setting values for the initialize parameters required by the discovery agent; and

initializing the discovery agent using the selected values for the initialize parameters.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the listing of the initialize parameters the discovery agent requires is provided in a canonical user interface (UI) form;

and wherein the step of setting values for the initialize parameters required by the discovery agent further comprises;

displaying the canonical UI form in a graphical user interface (GUI).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined set of steps include the step of:

querying the metadata repository for metadata.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of querying the metadata repository further comprises:

requesting a set of query parameters from the discovery agent;

receiving from the discovery agent a listing of the query parameters it requires;

setting values for the query parameters required by the discovery agent;

passing the set values for the query parameters to the discovery agent; and

querying the metadata repository using the set values for the query parameters.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the listing of the query parameters the discovery agent requires is provided in a canonical user interface (UI) form;

and wherein the step of setting values for the query parameters required by the discovery agent further comprises;

displaying the canonical UI form in a graphical user interface (GUI).

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined set of steps include the step of:

selecting results of the query of the metadata repository for import.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting results of the query of the metadata repository further comprises:

receiving from the discovery agent the results of the query of the metadata repository; and

selecting a set of the results of the query of the metadata repository for import.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the results of the query of the metadata repository is provided by the discovery agent in a canonical user interface (UI) representation;

and wherein the step of selecting values of the query of the metadata repository for import further comprises;

displaying the canonical UI representation in a graphical user interface (GUI).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined set of steps include the step of:

importing the selected set of results of the query from the metadata repository.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of importing the selected results of the query from the metadata repository further comprises:

requesting a set of import parameters from the discovery agent;

receiving from the discovery agent a listing of the import parameters it requires;

setting values for the import parameters required by the discovery agent;

passing the set values for the import parameters and the selected set of the results of the query of the metadata repository to the discovery agent; and

importing the selected set of the results of the query from the metadata repository.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the listing of the import parameters the discovery agent requires is provided in a canonical user interface (UI) form;

and wherein the step of setting values for the import parameters required by the discovery agent further comprises;

displaying the canonical UI form in a graphical user interface (GUI).

15. Deploying an application for importing metadata, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to perform the method of claim 1.

16. Computer software embodied in a propagated signal for importing metadata, the computer software comprising instructions to cause a computer system to perform the method of claim 1.

17. A method for importing metadata, comprising:

providing an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) including an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;

providing a first discovery agent for importing metadata from a first metadata repository, wherein the first discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow; and

importing metadata from the first metadata repository to the IDE using the import framework and the first discovery agent.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

providing a second discovery agent for importing metadata from a second metadata repository, wherein second discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow; and

importing metadata from second metadata repository to the IDE using the import framework and the second discovery agent.

19. A system for importing metadata, comprising:

an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;

at least one discovery agent, wherein each discovery agent is associated with a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository; and

means for importing metadata from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.

20. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for importing metadata, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

providing an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;

providing at least one discovery agent, wherein each discovery agent is associated with a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository; and

importing metadata from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.