System and method for using metadata to flexibly analyze data

A method of flexibly analyzing data in a plurality of source databases by using a metadata comprising the steps of:

• maintaining the metadata, wherein the metadata includes technical information and business model information and exists independently of schemata of the plurality of source databases and of a plurality of destination databases;
• mapping the schemata of the plurality of source databases to dimensions and measures in the metadata based on the technical information stored in the metadata;
• manipulating the business model information stored in the metadata;
• and
• applying the technical information and the business model information stored in the metadata to load data in the plurality of source databases into the plurality of destination databases for analyses.

An apparatus for executing commands to use a metadata to flexibly analyze data stored in a plurality of source databases, comprising:

• a first set of computers, each computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of source databases is stored in the data storage device of the first set of computers;
• the metadata stored in a second set of computers wherein the metadata includes technical information and business model information and exists independently of schemata of the plurality of source databases and a plurality of destination databases;
• a third set of computers, each computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of destination databases is stored in the data storage device of the third set of computers;
• and
• a fourth set of computers for use by a user to analyze the data stored in the plurality of source databases using the metadata and a metadata management system, wherein the metadata management system comprises one or more computer programs for mapping the schemata of the plurality of source databases to dimensions and measures in the metadata based on the technical information, manipulating the business model information, and loading the data stored in the plurality of source databases into the plurality of destination databases for analyses based on the technical information and the business model information stored in the metadata,
• wherein the first set of computers, the second set of computers, the third set of computers, and the fourth set of computers are interconnected by a network.

An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a command to use a metadata to flexibly analyze data in a plurality of source databases, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining the metadata, wherein the metadata includes technical information and business model information and exists independently of schemata of the plurality of source databases and of a plurality of destination databases;
• mapping the schemata of the plurality of source databases to dimensions and measures in the metadata based on the technical information stored in the metadata;
• manipulating the business model information stored in the metadata;
• and
• applying the technical information and the business model information stored in the metadata to load data in the plurality of source databases into the plurality of destination databases for analyses.