Addressing instance resolution problems
InfoSphere® MDM creates a unique internal identifier for each record—or business entity—that serves as its internal key.
This key is not normally intended to be published to other applications outside of InfoSphere MDM, legacy source systems or downstream consuming applications; however, it is available as part of the service response message.
InfoSphere MDM allows you to configure the business key for each business entity. This key serves as the unique identifier of the business entity in external applications.
InfoSphere MDM services
expect the internal identifier to be provided as part of the update
service request, to ensure that services can identify the correct
business entity in the database. However, when data flows into InfoSphere MDM directly
from external applications such as legacy systems, the internal key
is not known and often the nature of the data change is also not known.
This issue, which is referred to as an Instance Resolution Problem,
requires that the following information be determined:
- What instance of the business entity is being worked with: party A; party B; or others?
- Is data being added or updated?
- If you are trying to update, what instance do you want to update when there are multiple names or addresses, multiple contact methods or identifiers, multiple contract components, multiple party roles, and so on?
This problem is addressed by both types of load provided by Rapid Deployment Package: High Volume Load and Party Maintenance Services.