File Library

Oracle offers two different tools that operate as a single point of maintenance for metadata: Enterprise Performance Management Architect (EPMA) and Data Relationship Management (DRM). The EPMA does light duty and DRM handles more complex metadata management needs. The important thing is determining which tool is the best fit for the job and/or if both tools can do the trick working together.

EPMA lends itself well to companies working with smaller teams and fewer applications by easing maintenance between applications and maintaining consistency. For example, when you budget at the same levels that your actuals come in at, your hierarchies and accounts are the same as budget and actuals, EPMA fits the bill. Another example is if you have Hyperion Planning and Hyperion Financial Management and you want to manage updates say to your cost center, EPMA will make the updates in both places so you don’t have to do it twice.

DRM is a better fit when you need to scale. For example, maintaining multiple Essbase applications—both BSO and ASO technologies—is not a good fit for EPMA. In this case, DRM offers much more robust solution with a true single point of maintenance.

A complimentary scenario is when EPMA is a cog in the data world of DRM. In this case, DRM feeds EPMA to make updates to the applications that it controls. DRM owns the master data—some Hyperion, some not—and EPMA might be specific to one app.

Using real world examples, this session will review the best tool to use for managing your metadata—EPMA, DRM, or both. The discussion will:
• Review various ways to efficiently manage your metadata
• Match applications and technologies to the right metadata management tool
• Compare and contrast feature sets
• Examine gotchas, alternatives, and workarounds
• Provide tips and tricks for how to get the most out of either tool either standalone or together