iWay Master Data Server (MDS) is an IT infrastructure component for supporting Master Data Management (MDM) strategies at an enterprise level. The primary purpose for MDM in any organization is to create a single view of the business in order to drive overall business performance. It should be noted that iWay Data Quality Server (DQS) is part of iWay MDS.

Designed to plug in smoothly into an existing IT infrastructure, iWay MDS supports real-time SOA architectures as well as batch mode operations, or a combination of both.

iWay MDS is built upon component architecture designed to integrate with various systems and data sources within existing IT infrastructure. The main system components are:

• MDS Storage. Data management for consolidated records as well as original records to be processed. Uses predefined and customizable vertical data models for key master-data entities, such as customers, contacts, products, and more.
• MDS Master Data Services. A set of services used for data processing and master data management as maintained by the system. This set comprises more than 100 elementary and component methods fully configurable from the administration application.
• MDS DQ Services. A subset of services used in master data processing and data quality measures. For example, these services can be used for customer-address verification of records entered into external self-service applications.
• MDS Adapters. Data and application interfaces to application data structures and methods. These are data record APIs, native Java API, JDBC API, and other industry standard interfaces. iWay MDS leverages the iWay Software suite of adapters.
• MDS Master Manager. An end-user interface for visualization and job management for master data management business users and data stewards.
• MDS Metadata Interface. An interface that allows export of iWay MDS metadata to other systems and metadata repositories.
• MDS Server. A Java server platform for on-demand processing that integrates with IT infrastructure logging and monitoring services. Integration with iWay Service Manager, WebSphere®, WebLogic®, and SAP NetWeaver®.
• MDS Repository. An internal repository optimized for the fast data access used in on-demand application mode.

Key Features and Advantages

Key features and advantages that are provided through iWay Master Data Server (MDS) include:

• Ease of use through a unified Eclipse-based toolset (iWay Integration Tools). This provides a consistent user experience across the iWay 7 suites from the perspective of user interfaces, technologies, and methods.
• A drag-and-drop workspace area to easily add preconfigured master data components (steps) to build simple or complex workflows.
• Provides a basis for customer-facing process and CRM segmentation, cross-selling, up-selling, and efficient utilization of call centers.
• Reduces the expense of marketing campaigns through accurate client address and household information.
• Enables advanced analysis and segmentation of customers, product classification, marketing and sale opportunities, current client value, and more.
• Facilitates the creation of customer data used in data-mining models such as market predictions, fraud detection, client risk, future client value, and more.
• Helps financial institutions implement one of the prerequisites of Basel Capital Accord II, especially for credit and behavioral scoring.
• Assists healthcare organizations in implementing an enterprise master patient index (EMPI) leveraging connectivity to legacy systems and databases.
• Pre-built business models, optimized for customer, contact, and product, are provided. Models may be imported, modified, or created from scratch to suit business needs.

  Business processes can directly leverage a variety of pre-defined and pre-configured master data management services, from simple customer management to customer profile searches and unification with additional business entities. Vertical solutions for healthcare, financial services, insurance, and government are also available.

The iWay Master Data Server (MDS) is a specialized cutting-edge technology that delivers the high-quality master data essential to every organization. A plug-and-play solution designed to integrate seamlessly with existing systems, iWay MDS simplifies project complexity and reduces the time from initial development to delivery, so companies can more rapidly implement, and benefit from, their master data management strategy.

iWay MDS is designed for easy integration with most enterprise service bus (ESB) middleware through web services, messaging queues, or specific plug-in modules. In addition to these real-time interfaces, iWay MDS can schedule and execute batch operations on its own for performing tasks that involve large amounts of data (for example, initial loads), or accessing systems that do not allow online change processing.

The following image shows a sample model project opened in the workspace area of iWay MDS. You can design and configure model projects and plans (workflows), which can range from simple to complex. Model projects consists of connected systems, the MDS logical model, the database, transformations, batch interfaces, and files.

The following are business drivers that support MDM initiatives and where iWay MDS can serve a leading role:

• Improved regulatory compliance ability or reduced regulatory risk.
• Increased marketing effectiveness (up-sell and cross-sell) through integrated customer information.
• Increased customer satisfaction and service.
• Improved real-time business-decision making capabilities through better information quality.
• Reduced costs associated with data quality.