Metis Enterprise Repository

The Metis Enterprise Repository provides the core functionality for information management and delivery, meeting the myriad of needs in this arena. It implements the abstract entity-relation model and thereby automates the collection, classification, and visualisation of IT elements. It is the object store for all instance data of components (entities), relationships, and their associated properties (attributes). It also manages the users’ access to the information via the pre-configured roles that are provided (and are fully extendable and customisable). The information is automatically populated and maintained by Metis Collection.  Included in Metis Enterprise Repository are the Troux Portal and the Troux Reporting System, which enable query, analysis and visualisation of all IT elements across the conceptual, logical, and physical tiers of the IT environment.  

The Metis Enterprise Repository is implemented on an industry standard SQL RDBMS (e.g. Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server). It hosts type definitions, instance data, scripts (e.g. rules), roles and other configuration information. It scales to enterprise needs, storing millions of instances of components and relationships. In addition, it maintains a log of all changes to all instance information. Changes to type definitions in the enterprise model do not require changes to the schema definitions in the RDBMS. It allows for meta model management, type inheritance, management of an agentless ETL architecture, and rules-based relationship discovery and data validation. 

The Troux Portal provides secure, role-based information delivery of information based on the user’s domain and preferences. It provides intuitive delivery of rich views of information based on the user’s domain and preferences. These dynamic views and reports lower the cost and increase the effectiveness of EA initiatives and processes. In addition, it is designed to integrate with complementary IT processes, applications, and information sources.  

The Troux Portal is delivered with pre-packaged portlets that facilitate queries and user profile management. The portlets create a rich, customisable, online experience that increases application usage and acceptance.

The Troux Portal provides a lightweight browser interface (no client-side Java applet or ActiveX controls) to access the repository. Based upon role, users can search for both components (drill in capability) and follow relationships (drill across). Results of queries are available in text form and in graphical/blueprint form via the browser. In addition, data can be exported in a wide variety of formats including Adobe Acrobat (.pfd), Microsoft Excel (.xls), Microsoft Visio (.vsd),W3C Extended Markup Language (.xml), comma separated values (.csv), and W3C Scaleable Vector Graphic (.svg). It provides web forms to support entry by subject-matter experts and management. These web forms automatically conform to the grammar in MEAF and thereby increase the quality of the information entered into the MDR.

The Troux Reporting System (TRS) is a complete reporting product integrated into the Metis Server. It is a powerful, industry-leading query and reporting product with proven enterprise level scalability, and is based on Cognos 8 BI technology.

In addition, metadata-driven data transformations performed against the MDR increase the usability of the underlying data by enabling both flexible creation of complex reports and easy access for rapid query and analysis.

Report management capabilities include cataloging, archiving, and versioning. Report scheduling and distribution are based upon time/date, data availability, event, or other criteria. Reports can be distributed to various destinations (printer, user email, file, web, etc.), and in a variety of distribution formats (.pdf, XML, CSV, HTML, etc.).

TRS is an enterprise class solution built to work with the data volumes of Global 2000companies. It acquires security information for authentication from the company’s security provider via Metis Server.

Metis Enterprise Architecture Foundation

The Metis Enterprise Architecture Framework (MEAF) provides the meta model necessary to address the depth and breadth of the enterpise architecture. 

MEAF is the information foundation used by the Metis Server. It provides an integrated view of the information in the MDR and thereby provides both the syntax and semantics to implement strategic IT decisions.

MEAF defines a framework that codifies a set of best practices for describing (modeling) the enterprise. It is comprised of 22 domains of knowledge representing more than 200 object types and more than 1,000unique relationships. The cardinality of these relationships is represented by “connect rules” that constrain the semantics and thereby insure that information is correct.

By providing a pre-defined grammar, MEAF accelerates time-to-value for the customer. Recognising that change is constant, it is designed for extensibility and migration.