MDM Background & Notes

From Lou's Back of the Napkin MDM notes:

What feature are considered best of breed?: 

• Good data quality
• proper metadata management
• agile SOA
• Performance tuning

What are our needs?

• Multi-domain support: A domain is data model. A domain can have a narrow focus (e.g. "students") or  broad (e.g. HEDM).  HEDM and SAP are examples of single-domain products that are focused on a given vertical. 
  • Informatica, Orchestra, Riversand is .Net only, TIBCO) - Oracle is not multi-domain
    • Some products may allow for the user to configure a domain but will only support one (perhaps Oracle fits that bill?)
  • Flexible schemas (models) with the ability to create different versions of the same model - the prevents having to rev all apps tied to a given version of a model 
• Data modeling: The process of cataloging and reconciling the difference between the similar data stored in different systems
  • The domain modeling process should be fairly interactive and flexible. A bad approach would be to have to configure DB tables a better approach would be an interactive UI that allowed the data architect/steward to view the schemas/models of the multiple application being reconciled while building the domain model.
• Governance models: The resources and processes involved in controlling access to master data.
  • Permissions can become very complicated quickly - think of NTs nightmarish file permission hierarchy. 
  • A permission model simplicity needs to be factored into the decision process
    • Easy to set/view for the data stewards and MDM developers
• Centralized vs Federated (or both): How is the data stored?  Is it stored in a golden DB that is part of the MDM system or does MDM reach in to where the data is stored and re-create master data on the fly?
  • CCC needs both:
    • The capability of federated enables buyin from stakeholders that aren't comfortable or fully onboard with MDM
    • For performance and simplicity reasons, as stakeholders become more comfortable with MDM, new systems are brought online or systems are upgraded – the stakeholders will consider the golden DB approach.
• Integration focused vs. information management
• Synchronization

Most vendors are built for a single data domain - CRM or Product. 

• We would need to break new ground with educational data.

Open Source vendors: 

• Akeneo - Not in gartner quadrant.  Not multi-domain.  Product focused.
• Pimcore - not in gartner quadrant.  Not multi-domain.  Product & Content Management focused.
• Talend - not in Gartner Quadrant at all

Feedback from users:

• significant time and expense involved.

Interesting stuff:

• Kettle ETL (open source)
• DataCleaner (commercial open source) for data quality