Meta-Object Facility (MOF)

The Meta-Object Facility (MOF) is a set of standard interfaces that can be used to define and manipulate a set of interoperable meta-models and their corresponding models.

The MOF is intended to support a range of usage patterns and applications. To understand the possible usage patterns for the MOF, you need to understand is the two viewpoints for the MOF:

1. Modeling viewpoint: The designer's viewpoint, looking "down" the meta levels. From the modeling viewpoint, the MOF is used to define an information model for a particular domain of interest. This definition is then used to drive subsequent software design and/or implementation steps for software connected with the information model.
2. Data viewpoint: The programmer's viewpoint, looking at the current meta-level, and possibly looking up at the higher meta-levels. From the data viewpoint, the MOF (or more accurately, a product of the MOF) is used to apply the OMA-based distributed computing paradigm to manage information corresponding to a given information model. In this mode, it is possible for a CORBA client to obtain the information model descriptions and to use them to support reflection.

The MOF specification is intended to provide an open-ended information modeling capability. The specification defines a core MOF model that includes a relatively small set of constructs for object-oriented information modeling. The MOF model can be extended by inheritance and composition to define a richer information model that supports additional constructs. Alternatively, the MOF model can be used as a model for defining information models. This feature allows the designer to define information models that differ from the philosophy or details of the MOF model. In this context, the MOF Model is referred to as a meta-metamodel because it is being used to define metamodels such as the UML.

Also see the Common Warehouse Meta-Model (CWM).

Organization: Object Management Group

More information: MOF page on the OMG Web site (new window)

Web Services and Service-Oriented Architectures Online articles > Consulting Mentoring Speaking Suggested programs Stencils for the Savvy Manager's Guide Links Mail list Privacy policy Sitemap Contact

Web Services articles > XML standards and vocabularies Application server articles Database concepts and standards Object database articles Relational database articles Object-relational mapping articles XML database articles XML middleware articles Article Sponsorship Reprint policy

Web Services definition Service-oriented architecture (SOA) definition Web Services explained Web Services specifications > Prior Service-Oriented Architecture specifications Organizations Article suggestions

Models and metamodels > Repository Messaging Service Security and authorization Federated network identity User interface Workflow Application servers Object programming languages

Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM) > Model Driven Architecture (MDA) Business Process Modeling Language (BPML) Web Services Component Model (WSCM) Web Services Resource Framework (WSRF) WS Choreography Model Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)

Meta-Object Facility (MOF) > Unified Modeling Language (UML) XML Metadata Interchange (XMI)

Related books at Amazon.com

ISO/IEC 19502:2005, Information technology - Meta Object Facility (MOF) by ISO/IEC/JTC 1/SC 32 Publisher: Multiple. Distributed through American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Publication Date: August 2007

More related books: Search Amazon.com for "Meta-Object Facility"

Copyright © 2000-2008 Barry & Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
You can use this material for your work or classes. Click here for our reprint policy.
www.service-architecture.com