ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003

Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) — Part 3: Registry metamodel and basic attributes

The primary purpose of ISO/IEC 11179-3:2002 is to specify the structure of a metadata registry. It also specifies basic attributes which are required to describe metadata items, and which may be used in situations where a complete metadata registry is not appropriate (e.g. in the specification of other International Standards).

Technologies de l'information — Registres de métadonnées (RM) — Partie 3: Métamodèle de registre et attributs de base

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 06-Mar-2003
• Withdrawal Date: 06-Mar-2003
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32 - Data management and interchange
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32/WG 2 - MetaData
• Current Stage: 9599 - Withdrawal of International Standard
• Completion Date: 12-Feb-2013

Relations

• Revised: ISO/IEC 11179-3:2013 - Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) — Part 3: Registry metamodel and basic attributes
• Effective Date: 15-Apr-2008
• Revises: ISO/IEC 11179-3:1994 - Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 3: Basic attributes of data elements
• Effective Date: 15-Apr-2008

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 11179-3
Second edition
2003-02-15


Information technology — Metadata
registries (MDR) —
Part 3:
Registry metamodel and basic attributes
Technologies de l'information — Registres de métadonnées (MDR) —
Partie 3: Métamodèle de registre et attributs de base




Reference number
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2003

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
PDF disclaimer
This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but
shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In
downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat
accepts no liability in this area.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation
parameters were optimized for printing. Every care has been taken to ensure that the file is suitable for use by ISO member bodies. In
the unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below.


©  ISO/IEC 2003
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland

ii © ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. vi
Introduction . vii
1 Scope. 1
1.1 Scope – Structure of a Metadata Registry. 1
1.2 Scope – Basic attributes of metadata items. 2
1.3 Scope – Aspects not currently addressed .2
1.4 Areas of Applicability . 2
2 Normative references . 2
3 Definitions. 3
3.1 Definitions of Metamodel Constructs . 3
3.2 Broad Terms used in this part of ISO/IEC 11179 . 5
3.3 Alphabetical list of metadata objects in the metamodel. 8
3.4 List of Abbreviations . 27
4 Structure of a Metadata Registry. 27
4.1 Metamodel for a Metadata Registry . 27
4.2 Application of the metamodel. 28
4.3 Specification of the metamodel. 28
4.4 Types, Instances and Values . 29
4.5 Extensibility . 29
4.6 Date References . 29
4.7 Description of metamodel. 29
4.8 Administration and Identification region. 32
4.9 Naming and Definition Region. 38
4.10 Classification Region. 41
4.11 Data Element Concept Region. 43
4.12 Conceptual and Value Domain Region . 45
4.13 Data Element Region . 49
4.14 Consolidated Metamodel. 53
5 Basic attributes . 55
5.1 Use of basic attributes. 55
5.2 Common attributes . 55
5.3 Attributes specific to Data Element Concepts. 57
5.4 Attributes specific to Data Elements . 58
5.5 Attributes specific to Conceptual Domains . 58
5.6 Attributes specific to Value Domains . 58
5.7 Attributes specific to Permissible Values . 58
5.8 Attributes specific to Value Meanings. 59
6 Conformance . 59
6.1 Degree of Conformance . 59
6.2 Levels of Conformance . 60
6.3 Obligation. 60
6.4 Conformance to prior editions of this Standard. 60
6.5 Implementation Conformance Statement (ICS) . 61
6.6 Roles and Responsibilities for Registration . 61
Annex A (informative) Alphabetical List of Terms . 62
© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved iii

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
Annex B (informative) Modelling Notation .65
B.1 Modelling symbols .65
Annex C (informative) Mapping the ISO/IEC 11179-3:1994 basic attributes
to the ISO/IEC 11179-3:2002 metamodel and basic attributes.69
C.1 Introduction.69
C.2 Mapping the Basic Attributes.72
Bibliography.99

iv © ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
Table of Figures
Figure 1 — Common facilities for all Administered Items . 30
Figure 2 — Types of Administered Items. 31
Figure 3 — High-level metamodel. 32
Figure 4 — Administration and identification metamodel region . 33
Figure 5 — Administration and identification region – Classes used as Composite Datatypes .33
Figure 6 — Naming and Definition metamodel region. 38
Figure 7 — Classification metamodel region . 41
Figure 8 — Data Element Concept metamodel region . 43
Figure 9 — Conceptual and value domain metamodel region. 46
Figure 10 — Data Element metamodel region. 51
Figure 11 — Consolidated metamodel . 54
Figure B.1 — Sample modelling diagram . 65
Figure B.2 — Notation for “Class”. 65
Figure B.3 — Notation for “Association” . 66
Figure B.4 — Notation for relationship between Classes . 66
Figure B.5 — Notation for relationship with Cardinality . 66
Figure B.6 — Notation for “Association Class” . 66
Figure B.7 — Notation for Supertype / Subtypes. 67
Figure B.8 — Notation for Aggregation. 67
Figure B.9 — Notation for Composite Aggregation. 68
Figure B.10 — Notation for Class with Attributes. 68
Figure B.11 — Notation for Composite attributes . 68
Figure C.1 — Basic Attributes of Data elements . 69

© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved v

---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 11179-3 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 32, Data management and interchange.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 11179-3:1994), which has been technically
revised.
ISO/IEC 11179 (first edition) consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology —
Specification and standardization of data elements:
 Part 1: Framework for the specification and standardization of data elements
 Part 2: Classification for data elements
 Part 3: Registry metamodel and basic attributes
 Part 4: Rules and guidelines for the formulation of data definitions
 Part 5: Naming and identification principles for data elements
 Part 6: Registration of data elements
NOTE ISO/IEC 11179 is currently being revised under the general title Information technology — Metadata registries
(MDR). The part titles may also change in the process.
vi © ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
Introduction
Data processing and electronic data interchange rely heavily on accurate, reliable, controllable and verifiable
data recorded in databases. A prerequisite for correct and proper use and interpretation of data is that both
users and owners of data have a common understanding of the meaning and representation of the data. To
facilitate this common understanding, a number of characteristics, or attributes, of the data have to be defined.
These characteristics of data are known as “metadata”, that is, “data that describes data”. This part of
ISO/IEC 11179 provides for the attributes of data elements and associated metadata to be specified and
registered as metadata items in a Metadata Registry.
The structure of a Metadata Registry is specified in the form of a conceptual data model. The Metadata
Registry is used to keep information about data elements and associated concepts, such as “data element
concepts”, “conceptual domains” and “value domains”. Generically, these are all referred to as “metadata
items”. Such metadata are necessary to clearly describe, record, analyse, classify and administer data.
When considering data and metadata, it is important to distinguish between types of data/metadata, and
instances of these types. Clause 4 of this part of ISO/IEC 11179 specifies the types of metadata objects that
form the structure of a Metadata Registry. A Metadata Registry will be populated with instances of these
metadata objects (metadata items), which in turn define types of data, e.g. in an application database. In other
words, instances of metadata specify types of application level data. In turn, the application database will be
populated by the real world data as instances of those defined data types.
NOTE ISO/IEC 10027:1990 IRDS Framework explains the concepts of different levels of modelling.
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 also describes the basic attributes of metadata items for purposes where a
complete Metadata Registry is not appropriate.
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 is of interest to information developers, information managers, data administrators,
standards developers and others who are responsible for making data understandable and shareable.
ISO/IEC 11179 has broad applicability across subject area domains and information technologies.

© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved vii

---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)

Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) —
Part 3:
Registry metamodel and basic attributes
1 Scope
The primary purpose of ISO/IEC 11179-3 is to specify the structure of a Metadata Registry (see 1.1).
ISO/IEC 11179-3 also specifies basic attributes which are required to describe metadata items, and which
may be used in situations where a complete metadata registry is not appropriate (e.g. in the specification of
other International Standards) (see 1.2).
1.3 identifies aspects not currently addressed.
1.4 provides examples of activities where ISO/IEC 11179-3 may be applied.
1.1 Scope – Structure of a Metadata Registry
A comprehensive Metadata Registry management function requires a set of rules and procedures. These
rules and procedures are set out in the following Clauses and Annexes and are complemented elsewhere in
this document as follows:
a) the definitions of metadata objects are in Clause 3.3 of this part of ISO/IEC 11179;
b) the structure of the registry in the form of a conceptual data model is in Clause 4 of this part of
ISO/IEC 11179;
Aspects of the registry are expanded on in other parts of ISO/IEC 11179, as follows:
a) the overall framework for this family of International Standards is specified in ISO/IEC 11179-1;
b) rules and guidelines for classifying metadata are in ISO/IEC 11179-2;
c) rules and guidelines for the formulation of definitions are in ISO/IEC 11179-4;
d) naming and identifying principles for metadata are in ISO/IEC 11179-5;
e) rules and guidelines for registering metadata are in ISO/IEC 11179-6.
While the model diagrams are presented in UML notation, this part of ISO/IEC 11179 does not assume nor
endorse any specific system environment, database management system, database design paradigm, system
development methodology, data definition language, command language, system interface, user interface,
computing platform, or any technology required for implementation. This part of ISO/IEC 11179 does not
directly apply to the actual use of data in communications and information processing systems.
© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved 1

---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
1.2 Scope – Basic attributes of metadata items
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 also specifies basic attributes which are required to describe metadata items, and
which may be used in situations where a complete Metadata Registry is not appropriate (e.g. in the
specification of other International Standards). These basic attributes are described in Clause 5.
1.3 Scope – Aspects not currently addressed
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 does not currently support the following requirements;
a) Complex data structures, encapsulation, stereotyping and inheritance;
b) Ability to enforce uniqueness of names within a Context;
c) Specification of Naming Conventions for a Context;
d) Designations other than names (e.g. icons);
e) Specification of Time in addition to Date;
f) Prescribed conceptual domains and value domains for the attributes in the metamodel;
g) Registration of XML documents or XML schemas;
h) Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and associated bindings to access a registry;
i) Multilingual support, except for names and definitions;
j) Cultural adaptability.
It is anticipated that some or all of these requirements will be addressed in future editions of this part of
ISO/IEC 11179, or in companion standards or technical reports.
1.4 Areas of Applicability
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 applies to activities including:
a) the definition, specification and contents of metadata registries, including interchanging or referencing
among various collections of data elements;
b) the design and specification of application-oriented data models, databases and message types for data
interchange;
c) the actual use of data in communications and information processing systems;
d) interchange or reference among various collections of metadata.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 31-0, Quantities and units — Part 0: General principles
ISO 639-2:1998, Codes for the representation of the names of languages — Part 2: Alpha-3 code
2 © ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 9 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
ISO 1087-1:2000, Terminology work — Vocabulary — Part 1: Theory and application
ISO/IEC 2382-1:1993, Information technology — Vocabulary — Part 1: Fundamental terms
ISO/IEC 2382-17:1999, Information technology — Vocabulary — Part 17: Databases
ISO 3166-1:1997, Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions — Part 1:
Country codes
ISO 5127:2001, Information and documentation — Vocabulary
ISO/IEC 6523-1:1998, Information technology — Structure for the identification of organization and
organization parts — Part 1: Identification of organization identification schemes
ISO/IEC 6523-2:1998, Information technology — Structure for the identification of organization and
organization parts — Part 2: Registration of organization identification schemes
ISO 8601:2000, Data elements and interchange formats — Information exchange — Representation of dates
and times
ISO/IEC 11179-1, Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 1:
Framework for the specification and standardization of data elements
ISO/IEC 11179-2, Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 2:
Classification for data elements
ISO/IEC 11179-4, Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 4:
Rules and guidelines for the formulation of data definitions
ISO/IEC 11179-5, Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 5:
Naming and identification principles for data elements
ISO/IEC 11179-6, Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 6:
Registration of data elements
ISO/IEC 11404:1996, Information technology — Programming languages, their environments and system
software interfaces — Language-independent datatypes
ISO 12620:1999, Computer applications in terminology — Data categories
ISO/IEC 19501-1:2002, Information technology — Unified Modeling Language (UML) — Part 1: Specification
3 Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1 defines metamodel constructs, used in specifying the registry metamodel.
3.2 lists broader terms, and their definitions, used in this document that are not included in either 3.1 or 3.3.
3.3 defines metadata objects prescribed by the metamodel itself.
An alphabetical list of terms from all three Clauses is provided in Annex A.
3.1 Definitions of Metamodel Constructs
This subclause defines the metamodel constructs used in specifying the registry metamodel in Clause 4.
© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved 3

---------------------- Page: 10 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
3.1.1
association
〈metamodel〉 a semantic relationship between two classes
NOTE An association is a type of relationship.
[Adapted from ISO/IEC 19501-1:2001, 2.5.2.3]
3.1.2
association class
〈metamodel〉 an association that is also a class
NOTE It not only connects a set of classes, but also defines a set of features that belong to the relationship itself.
[Adapted from ISO/IEC 19501-1:2001, 2.5.2.4]
3.1.3
attribute
〈metamodel〉 a characteristic of an object or entity
3.1.4
class
〈metamodel〉 a description of a set of objects that share the same attributes, operations, methods,
relationships, and semantics
[ISO/IEC 19501-1:2001, 2.5.2.9]
3.1.5
composite attribute
〈metamodel〉 an attribute whose datatype is non-atomic
3.1.6
composite datatype
〈metamodel〉 a datatype that is also a class
NOTE A composite datatype is used as a datatype for a composite attribute.
3.1.7
generalization
〈metamodel〉 a relationship between a more general class (the parent) and a more specific class (the child)
that is fully consistent with the first class (i.e. it has all of its attributes and relationships) and that adds
additional information.
NOTE A generalization is a type of relationship.
[Adapted from ISO/IEC 19501-1:2001, 2.5.2.24]
3.1.8
identifier (in Metadata Registry)
〈metamodel〉 a sequence of characters, capable of uniquely identifying that with which it is associated, within a
specified context
NOTE A name should not be used as an identifier because it is not linguistically neutral.
3.1.9
relationship (in registry metamodel)
〈metamodel〉 a connection among model elements
NOTE In ISO/IEC 11179-3, a relationship is either an association or a generalization.
[ISO/IEC 19501-1:2001, 2.5.2.36]
4 © ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 11 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
3.2 Broad Terms used in this part of ISO/IEC 11179
3.2.1
attribute instance
a specific instance of an attribute
NOTE Amended from ISO 2382-17:1993 (17.02.13) to distinguish an instance of an attribute from its value.
3.2.2
attribute value
the value associated with an attribute instance
NOTE Amended from ISO 2382-17:1993 (17.02.13) to distinguish an instance of an attribute from its value.
3.2.3
basic attribute
an attribute of a metadata item commonly needed in its specification
3.2.4
binding
a mapping from one framework or specification to another
3.2.5
characteristic
abstraction of a property of an object or of a set of objects
NOTE Characteristics are used for describing concepts.
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.2.4]
3.2.6
common attribute
a basic attribute that is applicable to all types of metadata item
3.2.7
common facility (of Metadata Registry)
a facility provided by a Metadata Registry that is applicable to all types of Administered Item within the
registry.
NOTE The common facilities specified in this edition of ISO/IEC 11179-3 are:
 Administration and identification (see 4.8)
 Naming and definition (see 4.9)
 Classification (see 4.10).
3.2.8
conceptual data model
a data model that represents an abstract view of the real world
3.2.9
conditional
required under certain specified conditions
NOTE 1 One of three obligation statuses applied to the attributes of metadata items, indicating the conditions under
which the attribute is required. See also mandatory (3.2.17) and optional (3.2.28).
NOTE 2 Obligation statuses apply to metadata items with a Registration Status of "recorded" or higher.
© ISO/IEC 2003 — All rights reserved 5

---------------------- Page: 12 ----------------------
ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003(E)
3.2.10
data
a re-interpretable representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication,
interpretation or processing
NOTE Data can be processed by human or automatic means.
[ISO/IEC 2382-1:1998, 01.01.02]
3.2.11
data model
a graphical and/or lexical representation of data, specifying their properties, structure and inter-relationships
3.2.12
definition
representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.3.1]
NOTE See also Definition (of Administered Item) (3.3.58).
3.2.13
designation
representation of a concept by a sign which denotes it
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.4.1]
NOTE See also Designation (of Administered Item) (3.3.67) and name (3.2.27).
3.2.14
entity
any concrete or abstract thing that exists, did exist, or might exist, including associations among these things
EXAMPLE A pe
...