This chapter covers the promotion of metadata objects between environments. Various methods exist for getting new or changed metadata from one repository into another repository.

It is of course possible and in fact desirable to have multiple metadata repositories. At the very least we would normally have a development and a production environment.

In some situations it may also be desirable to have multiple child development repositories with one master repository where all elements are brought together. QAD Data Warehouse Designer supports this type of structure but does not include source control or co-ordination of the repositories. It is up to the data warehouse manager to manually ensure that the various objects are kept in sync and coordinated.

As with any software system there are issues around how code is moved from a development environment into a testing or production environment.

This promotion of objects can be achieved via a number of different methods. Each is discussed below. In summary they are:

 

The definition of an application is discussed in the following section on applications and the loading and updating of applications is discussed at some length in the Installation and Administration Guide. Only the concepts of the use of applications will be covered here.

An application is defined for our purposes as a group of objects. An application is a method of loading objects into a metadata repository. It can be used to upgrade or provide patches to an existing metadata repository. As such an application can be used to distribute and remotely maintain a specific data warehousing solution.

An application consists of a series of Windows' files, which can be distributed to remote sites.

A list of the applications that have been applied to the metadata repository can be acquired via the Tools/List Loaded Deployment Applications menu option.

An application is created through the Tools/Build Deployment Application menu option. This application can then update a metadata repository through the Setup/Administration utility. In this manner the application model can be used to update a metadata repository in an ordered and controlled fashion. Loading an application inserts various objects into the chosen metadata repository. An application is best defined as a set of objects that are shipped to allow inclusion of those objects in a remote repository.