IBM InfoSphere Master Data Management, Version 11.3

Physical MDM customization capabilities

InfoSphere® MDM can be customized, allowing you to create additions, extensions, and metadata specs.

Important: All custom names must be prefixed with a three letter abbreviation followed by an underscore, such as ABC_getItem. These naming guidelines apply to all custom database tables, transaction names, and any other customized elements.

Extensions
Extensions are customized code that provide additional functionality by extending data elements or extending the behavior of existing transactions. This expanded functionality is executed in addition to the default InfoSphere MDM code.
Data extensions
Before you write extensions, you must define and describe the extensions within the InfoSphere MDM database, along with the set of condition parameters that must be true for the extension to be run.
Additions
Additions add new functions, using new code and database tables that are independent of existing code.
Process for creating extensions and additions
The basic process for creating extensions and additions includes high level design, coding, deployment, and testing.
Extensions and additions using the InfoSphere MDM Workbench
This section outlines the concepts for the creation of additions and extensions using InfoSphere MDM Workbench.
Extension handler component
InfoSphere MDM provides an extension handler component that manages extension plug ins.
After creating an extension
When you create an extended function, you must add additional attributes to existing database tables, and the associated business objects and views must be updated to perform with the extended function.
Business objects
When you have extended a database table and introduced a new entity object, you need to map that to a new business object.
Database table extension for new functions
InfoSphere MDM provides two approaches to extend the database.
Extended functions in the request and response framework XSD
The Request framework XSD is responsible for parsing the extended business objects (BObjs) on request, and converting them to XML on response.
Transaction context passing and the DWLControl object
The transaction context passing feature provides InfoSphere MDM with a consistent transaction context for each transaction.
Event behavior extensions
The previous section outlined extending a transaction to extend the controller component operations of InfoSphere MDM. This section discusses extending an action to extend the business component operations of InfoSphere MDM.
Extending functions through the rules engine
If you do not want to use Java™ to create extensions, you can use a rules engine to extend functions.
Java behavior extensions
Java behavior extensions can be created by developers and are used by default to implement additional business rules, or when a new module needs to be invoked.
Additions to add new data and functionality
Additions are new code tables and database tables that are independent of existing code. They add new functionality without affecting existing functions.
Extended and new business objects
Any addition or extension business object requires its metadata to be captured in the metadata repository.
Metadata for added or extended tables and columns
When you add or extend tables and columns in InfoSphere MDM, and add or update transactions, if you want them to use metadata, you must populate the metadata tables or columns.
Testing an extension or addition
Test your new extensions or additions using the InfoSphere MDM testing mechanism.
Recognition of extensions and additions in InfoSphere MDM
Once you have created an extension, an addition or metadata specs in InfoSphere MDM, you must also revise the InfoSphere MDM features to recognize and work with the new modifications.
Extension and addition samples
Samples to help you understand how to create and implement various types of extension and additions for InfoSphere MDM are available.
Runtime metadata
Metadata is a generic name given to any information that describes the structure of data. It is often described as data about data. This section introduces the concept of runtime metadata.
Metadata maintenance using the InfoSphere MDM Workbench
The MDM Workbench provides a set of tools to help you develop and maintain metadata for your InfoSphere MDM solution.
Component functions
The following component function definitions will help you to understand each component.
The pureQuery data access layer
The pureQuery® component is an IBM data access layer implementation that is used by InfoSphere MDM.
Pluggable business object queries
Pluggable business object queries encapsulate the logic that retrieves business objects from persistent storage.
Pluggable business object query implementation
InfoSphere MDM business object query classes enable the encapsulation and easy customization of core database access functionality.
Customization of an existing pluggable business object query
You can extend a core business object's query implementation by either overriding an existing query or creating a new, customized query.
pureQuery data access layer in pluggable business object queries
When using the pureQuery data access layer in your business object queries, you need provide the implementation of only two methods in most GenericBObjQuery subclasses.
Structure of a constant in the query class
Each constant in the query class has been carefully defined.
Overview of extending the BObjQuery class
You can extend the query implementation of a core business object by either overriding an existing query or creating a new, customized query.
New pluggable business object queries
The method for introducing a pluggable query support for a new business object is similar to the method for customizing one.
SQLJ-based queries
InfoSphere MDM includes an SQLJ query implementation class, AbstractSQLJBObjQuery, to support SQLJ-based queries.
Pluggable persistence mechanism overview
The business object query class enables the encapsulation and customization of persistence transactions.

Parent topic: Platform and core feature overview

Last updated: 27 June 2014