Software AG Ships webMethods OneData for Process-Driven MDM 
Software AG is shipping webMethods OneData for process-driven Master Data Management (MDM). Designed as a multi-domain MDM solution, webMethods OneData looks to provide business users with consistent data from differing data sources that can be used by any SOA application or business process.
Software AG is shipping webMethods OneData for process-driven Master Data Management (MDM). Designed as a multi-domain MDM solution, webMethods OneData looks to provide business users with consistent data from differing data sources that can be used by any SOA application or business process.
webMethods OneData MDM is designed to reconcile, cleanse and synchronize enterprise master data on customers, products, suppliers, and provide easy access to modeling, reporting and analysis.
Key webMethods OneData features include:
- The ability to manage all domains of master data including hierarchies
- Support of different architectural styles as well as both operational MDM and analytical MDM use cases
- A user-friendly interface so businesses can manage and govern their information assets
- Data model flexibility
- Configuration-only implementations – avoiding complex programming
During the pre-MDM discovery phase, webMethods OneData’s MetaMap allows users to easily retrieve metadata from current repositories for reporting, analysis and consolidation. Users can import existing data models from another tool or database or define their own data model with pre-built template models. The model can be extended and customized, and will remain open to access by other applications and software.
OneData also includes a built-in wizard for simple to build customized reports, or users can employ other third-party reporting tools with OneData’s open repository. On that note, webMethods OneData provides three distinct database schemas: Metadata area; Authoring area; Release area. These metadata areas store internal metadata and
application-related configuration settings for the user interface, user accounts and authorizations, and also workflow and process flow.
Having “one version of the truth” for data lets organizations optimize their business processes and make better business decisions more quickly, according to Software AG’s CTO Wolfram Jost. webMethods OneData offers process-driven MDM and proactive data governance to help organizations perform better and make better decisions by having access to reliable and consistent data, he added.
Software AG’s process-driven approach to MDM is on target, according to one analyst.
In his blog, Rob Karel, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc., said the following about MDM:
“The only way master data can reduce risks, improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, increase revenue, or strategically differentiate an organization is by figuring out how to connect and synchronize that master data into the business processes and decisions most important to an organization’s success.”
Portions of the technology in webMethods OneData arises from Software AG’s acquisition of Data Foundations Inc. (which owned OneData technology) last October 2010.
Later this year, Software AG plans to launch specialized solutions for managing customer and product records, Jost added. The roadmap includes integration with the ARIS BPA suite, integration with webMethods ESB for data interchange between webMethods OneData and any on-premise and cloud applications and integration with webMethods BPMS.
