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Important Concepts

Use cases and actors

The illustration below presents the actors involved in Master Data Management. It is important to understand the role of each actor before using EBX.Platform.

A typical usage scenario is:

Developer

• The Developer starts by modeling Master Data. A model is called an Adaptation Model ( see below ) and is based on the XML Schema standard;

• He can add Services , in order to integrate Master Data with external systems or enhance MDM Features. For example, he can add Import/Export Services. Services can be interactive (they are integrated into the EBX.Manager tool) or programmatic;

• Models and Services are packaged into a Module . A module is a J2EE Web Application that groups the Adaptation Model and its associated resources, so as to standardize and facilitate deployment.

Administrator

• The Administrator first installs EBX.Platform on a Java application server;

• Then he deploys Modules on EBX.Platform;

• He also administrates EBX.Platform: he defines permissions, configures some ergonomic behaviour, and so on.

Users

A user, according to his roles, is bound to a set of permissions that allows him to:

• access to Master Data;

• perform actions on Master Data and manage its life cycle by means of branches and versions.

• perform services related to Master Data.

Concepts

Before using EBX.Platform, you need to understand the following concepts:

• Branches (and versions). They define the life cycle of Master Data;

• Adaptation model. It defines a Master Data Model;

• Adaptation instance. It represents an instance of the model that contains Master Data Values;

• Nodes. They are elements of the XML schema hierarchical structure of an adaptation instance.

Branches & Versions

Master Data are frequently based on complex life cycles. For example, a company needs to manage a current version of its Master Data while working on several updates that will occur in the future. In addition, this company needs to keep track of its projects milestones as well.

EBX.Platform introduces a set of features that allows to create and manage multiple branches and versions in a Master Data repository. With the use of branches, it is possible to make concurrent updates on a Master Data repository (projects, environments, drafts, ...), to compare and merge them. A version allows to take "snapshots" of branches in order to keep a stable Master Data state and to detect subsequent updates.

Adaptation model

An adaptation model is an enriched data model for Master Data. Globally, the goals are to guarantee the highest level of data consistency and to facilitate their management.

In concrete terms, the adaptation model is a document that conforms to the XML Schema standard (W3C recommendation). The main standard features that are supported are the following:

• A rich library of well-defined basic data types ( simple types : integer, boolean, decimal, date, time, ...);

• The ability to build more complex structures ( complex types );

• The ability to define simple lists of items ( aggregated lists );

• Validation constraints ( facets ): enumerations, uniqueness, minimum/maximum boundaries, ...

EBX.Platform also uses XML Schema extensibility features for other useful informations, like:

• Useful predefined types (locale, resource, html, ...);

• Definition of tables and foreign key constraints ;

• Mapping of Master Data to Java beans;

• Advanced validation constraints (extended facets ), like dynamic enumerations;

• Extensive presentation information : label, description, error messages, ...

The adaptation model can be specified by using an XML Schema editor or the Data Model Assistant . The latter has the advantage of being integrated into EBX.manager and more intuitive.

Adaptation instance

An adaptation instance is an instance of an adaptation model. This implies that each "node" in an adaptation instance (Master Data 's value) must conform to its definition in the adaptation model.

EBX.Platform supports an inheritance technology which makes it possible to organize adaptation model instances in a hierarchical way, in order to factorize common values, and delegate Master Data management:

• Master Data Value

  If a Master Data has no value defined in an adaptation instance, then the value is inherited from its parent, recursively. If no ancestor defines a value, then the value is taken from the XML Schema default value;

• Master Data Access Rights

  Master Data Access Rights define how Master Data Management is delegated to users, users' groups, or organizations. An access right is either hidden, read-only or read-write.

Adaptation model instances are persisted in EBX.Platform repository.

Note that adaptation, instance and adaptation instance terms are generally used for the same meaning.

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