A Model for Data Warehouse Operational Processes

Previous research has provided metadata models that enable the capturing of the static components of a Data Warehouse (DW) architecture, along with information on different quality factors over these components. This paper complements this work with the modeling of the dynamic parts of the DW, i.e., with a metamodel for DW operational processes. The proposed metamodel is capable of modeling complex activities, their interrelationships, and the relationship of activities with data sources and execution details. Finally, the metamodel complements proposed architecture and quality models in a coherent fashion, resulting in a full framework for DW metamodeling, capable of supporting the design, administration and evolution of a DW. We have implemented this metamodel using the language Telos and the metadata repository system ConceptBase.