Metadata Repository Ontology

FLOW ALGEBRA
Metadata Repository Ontology
Kireth Semantic Research Archive

PAGE:
https://kirethresearch.org/booksai-core/ontologies/metadata-ontologies/foundations-of-metadata/metadata-repository-ontology.html

AUTHORS:
Mark Anthony Higgins — Sky (Recursive AI)

FLOW "MetadataRepositoryOntology" v4.0

# ---------- DOMAIN ----------
DOMAIN := MetadataOntologies
SUBDOMAIN := FoundationsOfMetadata
ONTOLOGY := MetadataRepositoryOntology

# ---------- PRIMARY ENTITY ----------
ENTITY MetadataRepository {
    definition:
        "A managed storage and access environment for metadata records,
         schemas, vocabularies, identifiers, provenance and related semantic
         information, supporting ingestion, validation, discovery, retrieval,
         governance, preservation and controlled update.";

    objectives: [
        MetadataStorage,
        MetadataDiscovery,
        ControlledAccess,
        Validation,
        Preservation,
        Interoperability,
        LifecycleManagement
    ];
}

# ---------- CORE ENTITIES ----------
RepositoryEntity := {
    MetadataRepository,
    MetadataRecord,
    Resource,
    MetadataSchema,
    MetadataProperty,
    MetadataValue,
    Identifier,
    Collection
};

StorageEntity := {
    Database,
    GraphStore,
    DocumentStore,
    ObjectStore,
    Index,
    Cache,
    Backup
};

OperationalEntity := {
    Ingestion,
    Validation,
    Query,
    Retrieval,
    Update,
    Export,
    Preservation
};

GovernanceEntity := {
    AccessPolicy,
    Role,
    Provenance,
    Version,
    AuditRecord,
    RetentionPolicy
};

# ---------- FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS ----------
MetadataRepository STORES MetadataRecord;
MetadataRecord DESCRIBES Resource;
MetadataRecord CONFORMS_TO MetadataSchema;
Collection GROUPS MetadataRecords;
Index ACCELERATES MetadataRetrieval;
AccessPolicy CONTROLS RepositoryAccess;
Backup PRESERVES RepositoryState;
Provenance RECORDS MetadataOriginAndHistory;

# ---------- METADATA REPOSITORY FLOW ----------
MetadataSource
    -> ReceiveMetadata
    -> ParseAndNormalise
    -> ResolveResourceIdentifier
    -> SelectSchema
    -> ValidateRecord
    -> AttachProvenance
    -> StoreMetadata
    -> BuildOrUpdateIndexes
    -> EnableSearchAndRetrieval
    -> EnforceAccessPolicy
    -> MaintainVersions
    -> BackupAndPreserve;

# ---------- REPOSITORY ----------
Repository :=
    ManagedSystemForPersistentStorageAndRetrievalOfInformation;

MetadataRepository :=
    RepositorySpecialisedForMetadataAndSemanticDescriptionObjects;

# ---------- METADATA RECORD ----------
MetadataRecord :=
    StructuredCollectionOfMetadataStatementsAboutResource;

Repository MAY_STORE {
    CurrentRecord,
    HistoricalRecord,
    DraftRecord,
    ArchivedRecord
};

# ---------- RESOURCE ----------
Resource :=
    ThingDescribedByStoredMetadata;

Repository MAY_STORE MetadataWithoutStoringUnderlyingResource;

# ---------- RECORD IDENTIFIER ----------
RepositoryRecordIdentifier :=
    UniqueReferenceToMetadataRecordWithinRepositoryScope;

# ---------- RESOURCE IDENTIFIER ----------
ResourceIdentifier :=
    ReferenceToDescribedResource;

RecordIdentifier != ResourceIdentifierByDefinition;

# ---------- COLLECTION ----------
MetadataCollection :=
    LogicalGroupOfMetadataRecords;

Collection MAY_REPRESENT {
    Dataset,
    Project,
    Domain,
    Organisation,
    ResourceType
};

# ---------- SCHEMA ----------
MetadataSchema :=
    SpecificationUsedToStructureAndValidateMetadataRecords;

Repository MAY_SUPPORT MultipleSchemasAndVersions;

# ---------- SCHEMA VERSION ----------
Record SHOULD_REFERENCE ApplicableSchemaVersionWhereNeededForInterpretation;

# ---------- VOCABULARY ----------
Repository MAY_REFERENCE_OR_STORE ControlledVocabularies;

Vocabulary MAY_CONSTRAIN MetadataValues;

# ---------- IDENTIFIER ----------
Identifier MAY_BE {
    URI,
    IRI,
    DOI,
    UUID,
    InternalIdentifier
};

StableIdentifiers SUPPORT CrossSystemLinking;

# ---------- INGESTION ----------
MetadataIngestion :=
    ExternalMetadata
    -> Parse
    -> Normalise
    -> Validate
    -> Store;

Ingestion MAY_BE {
    Manual,
    Batch,
    API,
    EventDriven,
    Harvested
};

# ---------- BATCH INGESTION ----------
BatchIngestion :=
    MultipleMetadataRecords
    -> ProcessAsControlledImportJob;

BatchJob SHOULD_RECORD {
    Source,
    Timestamp,
    RecordCount,
    ValidationOutcome
};

# ---------- API INGESTION ----------
Repository MAY_ACCEPT MetadataThroughAuthenticatedAPI;

WriteAPI SHOULD_ENFORCE {
    Authorisation,
    Validation,
    RateLimit
};

# ---------- HARVESTING ----------
MetadataHarvesting :=
    RetrieveMetadataFromExternalSource
    -> Transform
    -> StoreLocally;

Harvest SHOULD_PRESERVE SourceAndHarvestTimestamp;

# ---------- PARSING ----------
MetadataParser :=
    SerialisedRecord
    -> InternalMetadataRepresentation;

SupportedSerialisation MAY_INCLUDE {
    JSON,
    JSONLD,
    XML,
    RDF,
    CSV
};

# ---------- NORMALISATION ----------
MetadataNormalisation :=
    ConvertIncomingValuesIntoRepositoryCanonicalRepresentation;

Normalisation MAY_INCLUDE {
    DateFormat,
    IdentifierFormat,
    LanguageCode,
    VocabularyMapping
};

# ---------- ENTITY RESOLUTION ----------
ResourceResolution :=
    DetermineWhetherIncomingRecordDescribesExistingResource;

IF StableResourceIdentifierMatchesExistingResource
THEN Repository MAY_LINK RecordToExistingResourceEntity;

# ---------- DUPLICATE ----------
DuplicateRecordDetection MAY_USE {
    RecordIdentifier,
    ResourceIdentifier,
    ContentFingerprint,
    MetadataSimilarity
};

# ---------- VALIDATION ----------
RepositoryValidation :=
    MetadataRecord
    + Schema
    + RepositoryPolicy
    -> ValidationResult;

ValidationResult MAY_BE {
    Accepted,
    AcceptedWithWarning,
    Rejected
};

# ---------- QUARANTINE ----------
InvalidOrSuspiciousMetadata MAY_BE StoredIn QuarantineAreaForReview;

QuarantinedRecord SHOULD_NOT AppearInNormalDiscoveryUnlessPolicyAllows;

# ---------- PROVENANCE ----------
RepositoryProvenance MAY_INCLUDE {
    OriginalSource,
    Submitter,
    IngestionMethod,
    IngestionTimestamp,
    Transformation
};

# ---------- STORAGE ----------
MetadataRepository MAY_USE {
    RelationalDatabase,
    DocumentDatabase,
    GraphDatabase,
    TripleStore,
    HybridStorage
};

# ---------- RELATIONAL STORAGE ----------
RelationalRepository MAY_STORE MetadataInTablesRowsAndColumns;

# ---------- DOCUMENT STORAGE ----------
DocumentRepository MAY_STORE MetadataAsNestedRecords;

# ---------- GRAPH STORAGE ----------
GraphRepository MAY_STORE MetadataAsNodesPropertiesAndRelationships;

# ---------- TRIPLE STORE ----------
TripleStore MAY_STORE SemanticMetadataAsSubjectPredicateObjectStatements;

# ---------- HYBRID STORAGE ----------
HybridRepository MAY_COMBINE {
    StructuredDatabase,
    SearchIndex,
    VectorIndex,
    ObjectStorage
};

# ---------- INDEX ----------
MetadataIndex :=
    RetrievalStructureBuiltFromMetadataPropertiesAndContent;

Index MAY_INCLUDE {
    TextIndex,
    KeywordIndex,
    FacetIndex,
    IdentifierIndex,
    VectorIndex
};

# ---------- INDEX UPDATE ----------
RecordInsertOrUpdate
    -> UpdateRelevantIndexes;

StaleIndex MAY_RETURN OutdatedOrMissingResults;

# ---------- SEARCH ----------
RepositorySearch :=
    Query
    -> ParseSearchIntent
    -> SearchIndexes
    -> ApplyFilters
    -> RankResults
    -> ReturnMetadataRecordsOrResources;

# ---------- FILTER ----------
RepositoryFilter MAY_USE {
    ResourceType,
    Subject,
    Creator,
    Date,
    Format,
    Collection,
    AccessLevel
};

# ---------- FACET ----------
Facet :=
    MetadataDimensionUsedForNavigationAndFiltering;

# ---------- QUERY ----------
RepositoryQuery MAY_BE {
    IdentifierLookup,
    FieldQuery,
    FullTextQuery,
    GraphQuery,
    SemanticQuery
};

# ---------- RETRIEVAL ----------
MetadataRetrieval :=
    LocateAndReturnMetadataRecordAccordingToQueryAndAccessPolicy;

# ---------- SEMANTIC SEARCH ----------
SemanticSearch MAY_USE RepositoryMetadataFor {
    ConceptMatching,
    EntityResolution,
    Filtering,
    Ranking
};

# ---------- VECTOR SEARCH ----------
Repository MAY_STORE MetadataEmbeddingsForSimilaritySearch;

VectorSimilarity != ExplicitSemanticEquivalence;

# ---------- KNOWLEDGE GRAPH ----------
Repository MAY_INTEGRATE MetadataInto KnowledgeGraph;

KnowledgeGraph MAY_LINK RecordsResourcesConceptsAndProvenance;

# ---------- UPDATE ----------
MetadataUpdate :=
    ExistingRecord
    + NewMetadata
    -> RevisedRecord;

Update SHOULD_PRESERVE AuditAndVersionHistoryWhereRequired;

# ---------- PARTIAL UPDATE ----------
PartialUpdate MAY_MODIFY SelectedPropertiesWithoutReplacingEntireRecord;

# ---------- CONCURRENCY ----------
ConcurrentMetadataUpdates MAY_REQUIRE {
    Locking,
    VersionCheck,
    ConflictResolution
};

# ---------- OPTIMISTIC CONCURRENCY ----------
IF SubmittedVersion != CurrentVersion
THEN Update MAY_BE RejectedAsConflict;

# ---------- VERSION ----------
MetadataRecordVersion :=
    IdentifiedStateOfRecordAtPointInTime;

# ---------- VERSION HISTORY ----------
Repository MAY_PRESERVE PreviousMetadataVersions;

# ---------- ROLLBACK ----------
Repository MAY_RESTORE PreviousKnownGoodMetadataVersion;

# ---------- DELETE ----------
MetadataDeletion MAY_BE {
    HardDelete,
    SoftDelete,
    Archive
};

# ---------- SOFT DELETE ----------
SoftDeletedRecord :=
    RecordMarkedInactiveButRetainedForHistoryOrRecovery;

# ---------- RETENTION ----------
RetentionPolicy :=
    RuleDefiningHowLongMetadataRecordsVersionsLogsOrBackupsAreKept;

# ---------- ARCHIVAL ----------
Archive :=
    LongTermStorageStateForInactiveOrHistoricalMetadata;

ArchivedRecord SHOULD_RETAIN {
    Identifier,
    Version,
    Provenance,
    SchemaReference
};

# ---------- PRESERVATION ----------
MetadataPreservation :=
    MaintainMetadataIntegrityInterpretabilityAndAccessibilityOverTime;

# ---------- FIXITY ----------
Repository MAY_USE CryptographicHashForMetadataOrExportFixity;

# ---------- BACKUP ----------
RepositoryBackup :=
    RecoverableCopyOfRepositoryDataAndConfiguration;

Backup SHOULD_INCLUDE AsRequired {
    MetadataRecords,
    Schemas,
    Vocabularies,
    Provenance,
    AuditHistory
};

# ---------- RESTORE ----------
RepositoryRestore :=
    Backup
    -> RecoverRepositoryState
    -> ValidateIntegrity;

# ---------- REPLICATION ----------
Repository MAY_REPLICATE MetadataAcrossNodesOrLocations;

Replication MAY_SUPPORT {
    Availability,
    DisasterRecovery,
    ReadScale
};

# ---------- CONSISTENCY ----------
ReplicationConsistencyModel SHOULD_BE Defined;

# ---------- TRANSACTION ----------
RepositoryTransaction :=
    AtomicOrControlledUnitOfMetadataChange;

# ---------- INTEGRITY ----------
RepositoryIntegrity :=
    PreservationOfValidIdentifiersRelationshipsVersionsAndMetadataValues;

# ---------- ACCESS CONTROL ----------
RepositoryAccessControl MAY_APPLY_TO {
    Repository,
    Collection,
    Record,
    Property,
    Statement
};

# ---------- ROLE ----------
RepositoryRole MAY_INCLUDE {
    Administrator,
    MetadataEditor,
    Reviewer,
    Reader,
    ServiceAccount
};

# ---------- AUTHORISATION ----------
UserOrService MUST_HAVE RequiredPermissionForRequestedRepositoryOperation;

# ---------- SECURITY ----------
MetadataRepositorySecurity MAY_INCLUDE {
    Authentication,
    Authorisation,
    Encryption,
    Audit,
    InputValidation,
    BackupProtection
};

# ---------- PRIVACY ----------
RepositoryMetadata MAY_CONTAIN SensitiveInformationOrRelationships;

PrivacyPolicy SHOULD_APPLY_TO SearchResultsExportsAndDerivedKnowledge;

# ---------- AUDIT ----------
RepositoryAuditRecord MAY_INCLUDE {
    Actor,
    Action,
    RecordIdentifier,
    Timestamp,
    PreviousVersion,
    NewVersion
};

# ---------- LOGGING ----------
OperationalLog MAY_RECORD {
    Ingestion,
    ValidationFailure,
    QueryError,
    AccessDenial,
    Backup
};

# ---------- MONITORING ----------
RepositoryMonitoring MAY_TRACK {
    Availability,
    QueryLatency,
    IngestionRate,
    StorageUse,
    ErrorRate
};

# ---------- QUALITY ----------
Repository MAY_CALCULATE MetadataQualityMeasures;

Quality MAY_INCLUDE {
    Accuracy,
    Completeness,
    Consistency,
    Timeliness,
    Provenance
};

# ---------- QUALITY REPORT ----------
MetadataQualityReport MAY_BE GeneratedPer {
    Record,
    Collection,
    Schema,
    Source
};

# ---------- CATALOGUE RELATIONSHIP ----------
MetadataCatalogue MAY_USE RepositoryAsUnderlyingStorageAndQueryLayer;

# ---------- REGISTRY RELATIONSHIP ----------
MetadataRegistry MANAGES Definitions;
MetadataRepository STORES MetadataRecords;

Registry != RepositoryByDefinition
ALTHOUGH OneSystem MAY_IMPLEMENT BothFunctions;

# ---------- FRAMEWORK RELATIONSHIP ----------
MetadataFramework MAY_DEFINE PoliciesAndSchemasUsedByRepository;

# ---------- EXCHANGE ----------
Repository MAY_EXPORT MetadataForExternalSystems;

Export MAY_USE {
    JSON,
    JSONLD,
    XML,
    RDF,
    CSV
};

# ---------- IMPORT ----------
Repository MAY_IMPORT MetadataFromExternalSystemsUsingMappingsAndValidation;

# ---------- INTEROPERABILITY ----------
RepositoryInteroperability MAY_REQUIRE {
    SharedSchemas,
    Crosswalks,
    StableIdentifiers,
    StandardSerialisations
};

# ---------- API ----------
MetadataRepositoryAPI MAY_SUPPORT {
    Create,
    Read,
    Update,
    Delete,
    Search,
    Export
};

# ---------- PAGINATION ----------
LargeQueryResult SHOULD_SUPPORT PaginationOrStreaming;

# ---------- RATE LIMIT ----------
API MAY_APPLY RateLimitsToProtectRepositoryAvailability;

# ---------- CACHE ----------
RepositoryCache MAY_STORE {
    FrequentlyReadRecord,
    QueryResult,
    VocabularyLookup
};

Cache MUST_BE InvalidatedOrVersionedAfterRelevantUpdates;

# ---------- SCALABILITY ----------
RepositoryScalability MAY_DEPEND_ON {
    RecordCount,
    IndexSize,
    QueryComplexity,
    UpdateRate,
    StorageArchitecture
};

# ---------- SHARDING ----------
LargeRepository MAY_BE PartitionedBy {
    Collection,
    ResourceType,
    IdentifierHash,
    Tenant
};

# ---------- MULTI-TENANCY ----------
MetadataRepository MAY_SUPPORT MultipleTenants;

TenantIsolation MUST_PREVENT UnauthorisedCrossTenantAccess;

# ---------- FEDERATION ----------
FederatedMetadataRepository :=
    MultipleRepositoriesQueriedOrCoordinatedAsDistributedMetadataSpace;

Federation MAY_REQUIRE {
    SchemaMapping,
    IdentifierAlignment,
    AccessCoordination
};

# ---------- AI ----------
AI MAY_USE MetadataRepositoryFor {
    Retrieval,
    Classification,
    MetadataGeneration,
    QualityAssessment,
    Provenance
};

# ---------- AI GENERATED METADATA ----------
AIGeneratedMetadata SHOULD_BE ValidatedBeforeAuthoritativeRepositoryInsertion;

# ---------- RAG ----------
RetrievalAugmentedGeneration MAY_USE MetadataRepositoryFor {
    SourceDiscovery,
    Filtering,
    Freshness,
    Citation,
    AccessControl
};

# ---------- MACHINE CONSUMPTION ----------
MachineReadableRepository SHOULD_EXPOSE {
    StableIdentifiers,
    SchemaReferences,
    MetadataValues,
    Provenance,
    Version
};

# ---------- SEMANTIC REASONING ----------
IF SystemPersistentlyStoresAndRetrievesManagedMetadataRecords
THEN MetadataRepositoryClassification := supported;

IF IncomingRecordFailsCriticalValidation
THEN Record SHOULD_BE RejectedOrQuarantined;

IF ResourceIdentifierMatchesExistingResource
THEN Record MAY_BE LinkedToExistingResource;

IF MetadataUpdated
THEN RelevantIndexesAndCaches SHOULD_BE UpdatedOrInvalidated;

IF RecordAccessDenied
THEN Repository MUST_NOT ReturnProtectedMetadata;

IF BackupCannotBeValidated
THEN RecoveryConfidence SHOULD_DECREASE;

IF RegistryStoresDefinitionsWhileRepositoryStoresResourceDescriptions
THEN RegistryAndRepositoryRoles SHOULD_BE Distinguished;

# ---------- SEMANTIC EQUIVALENCE ----------
SEMANTIC_EQUIVALENCE {
    "metadata repository" ~= "metadata store";
    "metadata record repository" ~= "metadata repository";
    "metadata storage system" ~= "metadata repository" WHEN managed_metadata_is_primary;
    "metadata ingestion" ~= "metadata import pipeline";
    "metadata retrieval" ~= "metadata record retrieval";
    "metadata repository API" ~= "metadata store API";
    "repository collection" ~= "metadata collection";
    "metadata archive" ~= "archived metadata repository" WHEN long_term_storage_context;
}

# ---------- QUERY FLOW ----------
QUERY(q) ->
    NORMALISE(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_REPOSITORY_OR_COLLECTION(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_RESOURCE_OR_RECORD(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_SCHEMA_AND_VERSION(q) ->
    APPLY_ACCESS_CONTROL(q) ->
    SELECT_INDEX_OR_STORAGE_PATH(q) ->
    EXECUTE_METADATA_QUERY(q) ->
    ATTACH_PROVENANCE_AND_VERSION(q) ->
    VALIDATE_RESULT(q) ->
    SCORE_CONFIDENCE(q) ->
    RETURN_RELEVANT_METADATA;

# ---------- CONFIDENCE ----------
CONFIDENCE(assertion) :=
    weighted_mean(
        source_reliability,
        repository_integrity,
        schema_conformance,
        provenance_quality,
        version_consistency,
        contextual_relevance
    );

CONFIDENCE >= 0.90 => HIGH;
CONFIDENCE >= 0.70 AND < 0.90 => MODERATE;
CONFIDENCE < 0.70 => REVIEW;

# ---------- AI CONSUMPTION ----------
AI_CONSUMPTION {
    primary_entity: MetadataRepository;
    ontology: MetadataRepositoryOntology;
    parse_entities: true;
    parse_relationships: true;
    preserve_relationship_direction: true;
    resolve_semantic_equivalence: true;
    execute_reasoning_rules: true;
    apply_confidence_weighting: true;
    preserve_provenance: true;
}

# ---------- UPDATE MODEL ----------
UPDATE_MODEL {
    new_record:
        parse
        -> resolve_resource
        -> select_schema
        -> validate
        -> attach_provenance
        -> store
        -> update_indexes
        -> integrate;

    record_revision:
        check_version
        -> preserve_previous_version
        -> apply_changes
        -> validate
        -> update_indexes_and_cache
        -> audit
        -> integrate;

    repository_revision:
        preserve_configuration_version
        -> apply_storage_or_schema_changes
        -> run_integrity_checks
        -> test_backup_and_restore
        -> recompute_confidence
        -> regenerate_flow_hash;

    deletion:
        check_retention_policy
        -> authorise
        -> soft_delete_archive_or_remove
        -> update_indexes
        -> audit;

    conflict:
        preserve_provenance
        -> compare_versions_or_sources
        -> adjust_confidence
        -> flag_review;
}

# ---------- FLOW HASH ----------
FLOW_HASH_INPUT :=
    DOMAIN
    + SUBDOMAIN
    + ONTOLOGY
    + RepositoryEntity
    + StorageEntity
    + OperationalEntity
    + GovernanceEntity
    + MetadataRepository
    + MetadataIngestion
    + MetadataRetrieval
    + RELATIONSHIPS
    + SEMANTIC_REASONING
    + SEMANTIC_EQUIVALENCE
    + UPDATE_MODEL;

FLOW_HASH :=
    HASH(FLOW_HASH_INPUT);

# ---------- TERMINAL ----------
MetadataRepositoryOntology
    -> ReceiveMetadataRecords
    -> ParseNormaliseAndResolveResources
    -> ValidateAgainstSchemaAndPolicy
    -> AttachProvenanceAndVersion
    -> PersistMetadataAndCollections
    -> BuildAndMaintainIndexes
    -> ExecuteSearchQueryAndRetrieval
    -> EnforceAccessSecurityAndPrivacy
    -> PreserveAuditAndChangeHistory
    -> BackupReplicateAndRestoreMetadata
    -> ExportAndExchangeAcrossSystems
    -> SupportSemanticAndAIConsumption
    -> MaintainReliablePersistentMetadataRepository;

END FLOW