Metamodeling Architectures and Interoperability of Web-Enabled Information Systems

Abstract

Metamodeling, which is extensively used in information system analysis & design, provides modelers with two complementary mechanisms for abstraction: abstraction by projection and abstraction by conceptualization. Metamodeling architectures are becoming a backbone of modeling environments in which modeling is carried out through a two-stage process: first, defining a convenient metamodel for the application domain, and second, describing the model of the application as an instantiation of the application-domain metamodel. We propose to use metamodeling —and its abstraction mechanisms— for modeling of web-enabled information systems and achieving their interoperability. Abstraction by projection allows us to describe user-specific features of web-enableb information systems and their security aspects more accurately. Abstraction by conceptualization allows us to define abstract bases of agreement for interoperability of web-based information systems.