Technical metadata describes data elements as they exist in the source systems, the data warehouse and data marts, and the interim data staging areas. For example, technical metadata could include the technology definitions for operational data in IMS, DB2, or VSAM Technical metadata also includes specifications on how the data is extracted, transformed, cleansed, and aggregated at each stage and the schedules for the data warehouse processes that accomplish this. This metadata is used by data warehouse administrators, power users, and the tools that drive the processes of the data warehouse. In contrast, business metadata is used by business users and by decision support tools. The information is related to the technical metadata, but the presentation is very different.
Business metadata provides a subject-oriented view of data.
It describes data objects like databases, tables, and columns, as well as informational objects like queries, charts, and reports. The metadata also contains the business dimensions, hierarchies, and formulas needed by business users to simplify their query and data navigation, and support more in-depth analysis. Like technical metadata, business metadata includes information about transformations, aggregations, and schedules. However, all business metadata is given in business terms rather than technology terms. Business metadata should provide business users all the information needed to understand, locate, and use the data in the data warehouse in a way that fits naturally with their data analysis tasks.