Heterogeneous Information Model Unification as a Pre-requisite to Resource Schema Mapping

An innovative technique for formation of collaborative consortia of enterprises in virtual organizations (VO) is considered. The technique is based on semantic integration of relevant enterprise information systems (EIS) in the VO specification treated as a subject mediator over the EISs involved. The paper explains how the canonical model for the VO specification is synthesized. Main part of the paper is devoted to the presentation of the process of EIS resource information models semi-automatic mapping into the canonical one assisted by the Heterogeneous Information Model Unifier. It is important to note that the Model Unifier is a universal tool that assists in development of mapping of various kinds of information. The process of mapping includes construction of a compiler from a resource model into the canonical one with the help of metacompilation tools. The mediation technique presented is applied in the astronomical Russian Virtual Observatory (RVO).