Cloud Computing and SOA Convergence in Your Enterprise: A Step ...

Building the Information Model 103
developers have access to the catalog in order to create the SOA using cloud
computing.
Building the Information Model
Once all the information about all the data in the enterprise is contained in
the data catalog, it is time to focus on the enterprise metadata model, or
what we call the information model. The difference between the two is sometimes
subtle. It is best to think of the data catalog as the list of potential solutions
to your architecture problem and to think of the information model as
the final data architecture solution (see Figure 5.7).
Let’s review:
Data dictionary: What data exists currently, per system and/or application,
and the definitions of that data (metadata)
Data catalog: Domainwide, sometimes enterprisewide, data dictionary
Information model: The final to-be state of the data architecture for our
SOA using cloud computing and the jumping-off point for figuring out
which data should reside on cloud computing platforms and which
should reside on-premise
The metadata model defines all of the data structures that exist in the enterprise
as well as how those data structures will interact within the architecture
solution domain. While you can express your information model in any
number of ways, it is usually best to create a logical model and a physical
model. Keep in mind that we do not know the target platforms as of yet, so
the models should be technology and platform independent at this point.
Build Information Model
Information
Model
Figure 5.7 The final step is to complete the information model. This is the reference
model used to define the final data architecture that provides us with a
jumping-off point to figure out the data that should remain on-premise or reside
on cloud computing platforms.