udm

Universal Data Models

Sandeep Kaur

Dept. of Information Technology

September 26,2012

Introduction to UDM

Universal Data Models (UDM) helps organizations integrate theirinformation, systems and people and develop the highest qualitydata models in the shortest period of time with services, training,consulting and library of re-usable, template data models.

History of UDM

Len Silverston was contracted as a data model consultant for alarge telecommunications company to help them develop anenterprise data model, along with about 100 other modelers. Afterspending $150 million on their data model, the company decidedthat they did not receive benefit from it, and cancelled the effort.After this engagement, Mr. Silverston decided that he eitherneeded to leave the data management field since it seemed sounproductive, or else change the industry, so organizations did nothave to repeat wasteful efforts like this.In the beginning of 1992, he opted for the latter and starteddeveloping re-usable or ”Universal” data models so thatorganizations did not have to waste time and money whiledeveloping suboptimal models since they were ”re-inventing thewheel” when data modeling.

Advantages of UDM

I Provides the standard templates. This helps in political issues.

I Can be cutomized according to our needs.

I Saves a lot of time and money.

I Redundant data is minimized to the maximum.

Advantages of UDM

An example where it is used

In a situation where a person or organization plays more than onerole in the organization or an organization supplies products and/orservices to our organization and also buys products from us. Doesthis mean that we maintain their name, addresses, contactnumbers and other organizational information in both theCUSTOMER and SUPPLIER entities? Under this scenario, if aname or address changes, the information needs to be changed intwo places. Each time an organization’s role is modeled as aseparate entity, there is a potential for redundant and inconsistentinformation.

UDM in action

Description

I The basic information about each person or organization suchas their names, credit rating, addresses, phone numbers andother contact information is associated with the PARTY.

I The PARTY RELATIONSHIP is sub-typed into the applicablebusiness relationships, CUSTOMER, SUPPLIER,DISTRIBUTOR, EMPLOYEE and INTERNALORGANIZATION. This allows each person or organization tobe involved in one or more of those relationships

I Each PARTY RELATIONSHIP sub-type may have differentattributes to define that specific relationship type.

Description

Questions are welcome...