 Open Information Model (OIM)
(Based on the thesis [Kon04])
Here, the article gives an outline aboute the Open Information Model (OIM) and its key concepts. Content:
1. The OIM standard model
The OIM standard model is developed by the Meta Data Coalition (MDC) to improve the interoperability between heterogeneous tools and applications. The OIM is also built upon the established standards: UML and XML [BuG01, page 336]. Furthermore, the OIM standardisation efforts are promoted particularly by Microsoft up to 2000. Microsoft stopped its efforts to establish the independent OIM standard and started to contribute on the CWM activities [Hei00]. Therefore, the OIM standardisation efforts by Microsoft to establish an own metadata standard can be considered as failured [Net02]. Further, the OIM standard merged in OMG’s CWM and MDC discontinued its operations [OMG00] in general. Thus, the “the best of the MDC’s Open Information Model (OIM) with the best of the OMG’s Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM TM)” [OMG00] incorporates into one standard that will be issued in the next CWM specification. Nevertheless, there is a short outline in the following of this standard in complement. 2. The main intention of the OIM
The main intention of the MDC standard is to support data warehousing from the inception of data modelling through the implementation process to the ultimate decision support. In addition, OIM was developed to homogenise all “tools that support IT analysis and design” and to use ”a batch exchange of metadata (Metadata Interchange Specification – MDIS)” [Tann02, page 242]. With the definition of a common metamodel, the smooth data interchange of information and data should be enabled in an information system. With regard to the technical aspect, OIM refines the UML concept in domain-specific submodels such as data warehousing [BuG01, page 337]. The OIM standard comprises the model categories according to [BuG01, pages 336-338]:
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