Metadata and Ontologies

Summary

In this chapter, we discussed issues related to the management of metadata from the perspective of different application scenarios. Information brokering was observed to be a central component of these applications, with special emphasis on the capture, storage, and interrogation of information content. A classification of metadata based on information content captured was discussed, and domain specific metadata was identified as the most appropriate for information brokering. Issues of language and vocabulary for capturing information content using intensional metadata expressions were presented. Also, an approach for re-use of terms in pre-existing domain specific ontologies, as the vocabulary for constructing intensional metadata expressions, was discussed. Metadata and ontologies form the twin pillars of our approach, and influence the design and architecture of brokering systems that are discussed in this book.