Design of a distributed data dictionary system by HONGJUN LU; KRISHNA MIKKILINENI, and BHAVANI THURAISINGHAM

To function effectively, every organization requires a dictionary or directory as an informant of the metadata on databases, users, applications, and systems within the organization. To date, the current use of data dictionaries within the organizations is limited owing to the failure of bringing about their full capital capacity. Two important factors are responsible for this deficiency of current systems. First is the complexity and cost and second, the absence of any integration of organizational information. Our primary focus of attention is on developing interface services between the existing and the new dictionary systems which will permit the distribution of metadata across various functional domains in the organization by providing users with a mechanism to gain access from any of the dictionary systems. The work presented here provides a sound foundation upon which practical solutions to the problems encountered in the design of distributed data dictionary systems can be developed.