The Microsoft® Data Warehouse Toolkit: With SQL Server™ 2005 and the Microsoft® Business Intelligence Toolset

13.5. Summary

Metadata is a fuzzy, complex subject. In this chapter, we defined metadata as information that describes the contents, structures, and operations of the DW/BI system. We described business, technical and process metadata, and briefly discussed the Common Warehouse Metamodel standard for data warehouse metadata. Next, we described the various sources and access methods for SQL Server 2005 metadata. The rest of the chapter was dedicated to our recommended approach for creating and managing metadata in your DW/BI system. Our approach begins with the requirement that the DW/BI team must assign the role of metadata manager to one of the team members. We then provide the metadata manager with eight steps to develop a metadata strategy. These steps are:

1. Do a metadata inventory.

2. Identify key metadata elements that you will actively use and manage.

3. Identify the definitive location (system of record) for each element.

4. Create tools to capture and store any needed elements that do not exist in the SQL Server 2005 system.

5. Create tools to synchronize and share metadata as needed.

6. Educate the DW/BI team and key business users about metadata and their metadata roles and responsibilities.

7. Determine and build the metadata delivery approach, especially for business metadata.

8. Manage the metadata system and monitor usage and compliance.

The education step is critical to long-term metadata success. Everyone must view the creation and maintenance of metadata as being of equal importance as any ...