Patent ID: 7395255

Claim:
A data management system for use in accessing a plurality of data sources having data stored in different formats, comprising: a computer network including a group of two or more computers interconnected to each other such that they can exchange data over a communications path; a common data model stored on one or more of the computers and including a data class having a plurality of attributes defining properties of the data class; a plurality of service managers including at least a data access manager and an ancillary service manager, wherein the data access manager is operable to access the common data model and to access data from one or more of the data sources for use in instantiating a common data object containing the accessed data, and wherein the ancillary service manager is operable to provide a data service function; and a data services coordinator responsive to requests for access to data available from one or more of the data sources, wherein the data services coordinator is operable to coordinate operation of at least some of the service managers in creating and utilizing the common data object to supply the requested data.