Common Import and Discovery Framework

A method for importing metadata, comprising:

• providing an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) including an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;
• providing a first discovery agent for importing metadata from a first metadata repository, wherein the first discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow;
• and
• importing metadata from the first metadata repository to the IDE using the import framework and the first discovery agent.

A system for importing metadata, comprising:

• an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;
• at least one discovery agent, wherein each discovery agent is associated with a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository;
• and
• means for importing metadata from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.

A program product stored on a computer readable medium for importing metadata, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

• providing an import framework for importing metadata from any type of metadata repository using a common use case flow;
• providing at least one discovery agent, wherein each discovery agent is associated with a metadata repository, and wherein each discovery agent is configured to implement the common use case flow required to import metadata from a respective metadata repository;
• and
• importing metadata from a selected metadata repository using the import framework and a discovery agent associated with the selected metadata repository.