What to Look For in an Off-the-Shelf Metadata Registry

When purchasing an off-the-shelf metadata registry (MDR), make sure it is a ready-to-use registry based on the ISO 11179 standard, the international standard for representing metadata for an organization in a metadata registry.

Also critical is that the registry can be extended and configured without programming effort to meet specific organization requirements that vary from the standard. Additionally, it should provide a strategic architectural framework that can be expanded upon for future data management needs.