Metadata standards for data warehousing: Open information model vs. commonwarehouse metadata

Metadata has been identified as a key success factor in data warehouse proj ects. It captures all kinds of information necessary to analyse, design, bu ild, use, and interpret the data warehouse contents. In order to spread the use of metadata, enable the interoperability between repositories, and too l integration within data warehousing architectures, a standard for metadat a representation and exchange is needed. This paper considers two standards and compares them according to specific areas of interest within data ware housing. Despite their incontestable similarities, there are significant di fferences between the two standards which would make their unification diff icult.