MD3i Overview
MD3i - Model-Driven Information, Integration, and Intelligence
While many tools and industry standards exist to facilitate process integration and business intelligence, only MD3i was created to embrace these tools and standards as a way to resolve the semantic differences that make data difficult to exchange, analyze and understand. In an IT environment where utilities have dozens of representations of the same information, resolving these differences by creating common meaning across the enterprise could not be more important.
This is where the MD3i framework really shines.
MD3i - Model-Driven Information, Integration and Intelligence
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MD3i brings together the best practices and in-depth knowledge of the global utility industry with the standards and architectural patterns best suited to creating a reliable, repeatable, and scalable information management and integration framework.
Simply speaking, MD3i enables the management of business semantics as the foundation for supporting common understanding, transparent flow and usage of information across an enterprise. It decouples applications so that data can be leveraged throughout the enterprise as a true information asset. Not only does this insulate applications from changes to data sources and application interfaces, but it also allows you to dramatically reduce redundant data sources, migrate systems much more easily, and free yourself from vendor lock-in.
At the core of MD3i is the development and use of an Enterprise Semantic Model (ESM), which serves as the logical representation of information assets that an enterprise uses to manage and facilitate business processes. MD3i allows utilities to embrace industry standards such as IEC Common Information Model (CIM) and, more importantly, enables utilities to create their own information model by leveraging metadata and models from their existing applications. This is a critical component of an enterprise strategy to create reusable data services that leverage Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) investments.
This has significant business benefits when you consider that the average MD3i-enabled enterprise realizes a 15-30 percent savings in overall total cost of information management and systems integration.
Whether your goal is to aggregate data for decision support or regulatory compliance, develop a single view of your customers, or simply enable a more effective end-to-end business process, an MD3i-enabled enterprise can get you there.