1.1 Glossary

This document uses the following terms:

access control entry (ACE): An entry in an access control list (ACL) that contains a set of user rights and a security identifier (SID) that identifies a principal for whom the rights are allowed, denied, or audited.

access control list (ACL): A list of access control entries (ACEs) that collectively describe the security rules for authorizing access to some resource; for example, an object or set of objects.

AccessChecker: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve the permissions that the calling security principal (2) has for each of a collection of EntityInstances identified by the specified EntityInstanceIds.

action: The smallest unit of work in a workflow system. An action can contain one or more tasks that define work that actors need to do. Actions are deployed and registered in the workflow system to be activated by protocol client users.

ActionParameter: A type of MetadataObject that defines how to parameterize the URL of an Action with specific data about an EntityInstance. ActionParameters are contained by Actions.

ActivityTrackingFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value specifies a GUID for the current operation.

anonymous user: A user who presents no credentials when identifying himself or herself. The process for determining an anonymous user can differ based on the authentication protocol, and the documentation for the relevant authentication protocol should be consulted.

association: A named independent relationship between two entity type definitions. Associations in the Entity Data Model (EDM) are first-class concepts and are always bidirectional. Indeed, the first-class nature of associations helps distinguish the EDM from the relational model. Every association includes exactly two association ends.

AssociationGroup: A MetadataObject that provides a logical grouping of AssociationReferences. All of the Associations that are identified by AssociationReferences in the group operate on a single physical mapping of source EntityInstances to destination EntityInstances in a line-of-business (LOB) system. All AssociationReferences in the group have the same AssociationReference sources and destinations, and collectively define the source and destination Entities of the AssociationGroup.

AssociationNavigator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve destination EntityInstances that are associated with a single specified EntityInstance for each of the sources of the specified Association.

AssociationReference: An entry in an AssociationGroup that refers to an Association. The sources of the AssociationReference are the sources of the referenced Association, and the destination of the AssociationReference is the destination of the referenced Association. The opposite is true if the AssociationReference is defined to be a reverse reference, for Associations with one source Entity.

Associator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to associate the specified, destination EntityInstance with a single specified EntityInstance for each of the sources of the specified Association.

Augmented Backus-Naur Form (ABNF): A modified version of Backus-Naur Form (BNF), commonly used by Internet specifications. ABNF notation balances compactness and simplicity with reasonable representational power. ABNF differs from standard BNF in its definitions and uses of naming rules, repetition, alternatives, order-independence, and value ranges. For more information, see [RFC5234].

base64 encoding: A binary-to-text encoding scheme whereby an arbitrary sequence of bytes is converted to a sequence of printable ASCII characters, as described in [RFC4648].

BatchingPositionFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value represents the current position of a batch, if the LOB system can return data in batches. When requesting a new batch, the filter can be populated with the position of the last batch.

BatchingTerminationFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value can be used to identify the last batch, if the LOB system can return data in batches.

BinarySecurityDescriptorAccessor: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve a sequence of bytes from a line-of-business (LOB) system. The system-specific byte sequence describes a set of security principals (2) and the associated permissions that each security principal (2) has for the EntityInstance identified by a specified EntityInstanceId.

BulkAssociatedIdEnumerator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve pairs of EntityInstanceIds of source EntityInstances and EntityInstanceIds of corresponding destination EntityInstances for a specified Association. The specified EntityInstances are either a source or a destination in the specified Association.

BulkAssociationNavigator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve destination EntityInstances that are associated with multiple specified EntityInstances for each of the sources of the specified Association.

BulkIdEnumerator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve a set of EntityInstanceIds and a small subset of important Fields of the EntityInstances that are identified by the specified set of EntityInstanceIds.

BulkSpecificFinder: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to return a set of specific EntityInstances of an Entity, given a set of corresponding EntityInstanceIds.

Business Logic Module: A module that contains Business Logic software and is called to enforce data constraints or perform tasks that are loaded and executed in a host-specific run-time environment.

ChangedIdEnumerator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve EntityInstanceIds of EntityInstances that were modified in a line-of-business (LOB) system after a specified time.

ComparisonFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. An LOB system can compare a ComparisonFilter value with the value of a specific Field of a set of EntityInstances and only those EntityInstances where the Field values pass the comparison test can be returned.

complex type: An element that can contain other elements or attributes and appears as <complexType> in an XML document. See also simple type.

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): A high-precision atomic time standard that approximately tracks Universal Time (UT). It is the basis for legal, civil time all over the Earth. Time zones around the world are expressed as positive and negative offsets from UTC. In this role, it is also referred to as Zulu time (Z) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In these specifications, all references to UTC refer to the time at UTC-0 (or GMT).

creator: The user who creates protected content.

DataClass: A type of MetadataObject that represents a type of a business data object obtained from a line-of-business (LOB) system. Instances of a DataClass have transient identity. DataClasses are contained by LobSystems and Methods.

DefaultValue: A value that is associated with a TypeDescriptor, in the context of a MethodInstance, and is used to instantiate Parameter values when calling native APIs in a line-of-business (LOB) system. The type of the value is consistent with the data type represented by the TypeDescriptor.

DeletedIdEnumerator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve EntityInstanceIds of EntityInstances that were deleted from a line-of-business (LOB) system after the specified time.

Deleter: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to delete an EntityInstance with a specified EntityInstanceId.

Disassociator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to remove an association between a specified destination EntityInstance and a single specified EntityInstance for each of the sources of a specified Association.

empty GUID: A 128-bit, 16-byte identification number that is represented by all zeros.

endpoint: A communication port that is exposed by an application server for a specific shared service and to which messages can be addressed.

entity: An instance of an EntityType element that has a unique identity and an independent existence. An entity is an operational unit of consistency.

EntityInstance: A set of Field values that have a unique identity that represents a specific instance of an Entity, and are stored in a line-of-business (LOB) system.

field: The data elements that constitute an Entity in a line-of-business (LOB) system.

FilterDescriptor: A type of MetadataObject that describes a normalized way of gathering input from users. A FilterDescriptor is defined by its type and the Method that contains it.

Finder: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to return a collection of zero or more EntityInstances of a specific Entity. Finder input is defined by the FilterDescriptors that are contained in the Method that contains the Finder.

GenericInvoker: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to perform a specific task in a line-of-business (LOB) system. GenericInvoker input and output is specific to the Method.

globally unique identifier (GUID): A term used interchangeably with universally unique identifier (UUID) in Microsoft protocol technical documents (TDs). Interchanging the usage of these terms does not imply or require a specific algorithm or mechanism to generate the value. Specifically, the use of this term does not imply or require that the algorithms described in [RFC4122] or [C706] must be used for generating the GUID. See also universally unique identifier (UUID).

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): An application-level protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems (text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on the World Wide Web.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): An extension of HTTP that securely encrypts and decrypts web page requests. In some older protocols, "Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Sockets Layer" is still used (Secure Sockets Layer has been deprecated). For more information, see [SSL3] and [RFC5246].

identifier: A string value that is used to uniquely identify a component of the CSDL and that is of type SimpleIdentifier.

IdEnumerator: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to return the Field values that represent the identity of EntityInstances of a specific Entity. IdEnumerator input is defined by the FilterDescriptors that are contained in the Method that contains the IdEnumerator.

InputFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used while calling an operation for a line-of-business (LOB) system. An LOB system can use the value of an InputFilter as additional arguments for the operation.

InputOutputFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used while calling an operation for a line-of-business (LOB) system. An LOB system can use the value of an InputOutputFilter as additional arguments for the operation, and additional results of an operation that cannot be captured by ReturnTypeDescriptor can be retrieved as a value of the InputOutputFilter.

language code identifier (LCID): A 32-bit number that identifies the user interface human language dialect or variation that is supported by an application or a client computer.

LastIdFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system in which data is to be returned in chunks. When requesting a new chunk, the filter can be populated with the EntityInstanceId of the last EntityInstance.

LimitFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value can be interpreted as a limit on the number of EntityInstances that are returned when the Method to which it belongs is called.

line-of-business (LOB) system: A software system that is used to store business data and can also contain business rules and business logic that support business processes.

LobSystem: A type of MetadataObject that represents a specific version of a line-of business (LOB) system. An LOB system can be a database or a web service.

LobSystemInstance: A type of MetadataObject that represents a specific deployed instance of a line-of-business (LOB) system, as represented by a LobSystem. LobSystemInstances are contained by LobSystems. LobSystemInstance Properties describe how to connect to an instance of the LobSystem that contains them by providing information such as the server name, connection string, and authentication mode.

localized name: The descriptive name of a MetadataObject for a specific locale.

metadata store: A database that is stored on a back-end database server and contains all stored procedures and storage for the MetadataObject types.

MetadataCatalog: A MetadataObject that represents a Metadata partition.

MetadataModel: A collection of MetadataObjects that describes a line-of-business (LOB) system. It provides a framework for converting operations that are requested by a protocol client into requests that are specific to a given LOB system.

MetadataObject: An abstract data structure that consists of a set of attributes that represent a LobSystem, LobSystemInstance, DataClass, Entity, Method, MethodInstance, Parameter, TypeDescriptor, Identifier, FilterDescriptor, Action, ActionParameter, or Association.

MetadataObjectId: An attribute that uniquely identifies a MetadataObject that is stored in a metadata store.

method: A component-defined operation that component instances are able to execute at the request of external entities.

MethodInstance: A type of MetadataObject that associates a normalized or stereotypical semantic with a Method that represents a native API in a line-of-business (LOB) system. MethodInstances identify which part of the data that is returned by a Method is relevant for the semantic by defining a ReturnTypeDescriptor. MethodInstances are contained by Methods.

model: The highest level of data organization in Master Data Services. A model contains objects and entities.

Open Data Protocol (OData): A web protocol for querying and updating data specified in the OData protocol.

OutputFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used while calling an operation for a line-of-business (LOB) system. Additional results of an operation that cannot be captured by a ReturnTypeDescriptor can be retrieved as a value of an OutputFilter.

PageNumberFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value can be the sequence number of the batch to return, if the LOB system can return data in batches.

Parameter: A type of MetadataObject that represents the formal parameters of a piece of business logic in a line-of-business (LOB) system. Parameters have a single root TypeDescriptor that defines the structure of the Parameter. They also have a Direction and a TypeReflector. Parameters are contained by Methods.

partition: An area within a shared services database, such as an area that isolates different tenants within a service, or the process of creating such an area in a shared services database.

PasswordCredentialFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system and can hold the password of an account that is defined in that system. When it is used in conjunction with a UsernameCredentialFilter, an LOB system can use the PasswordCredentialFilter value to restrict access to data for an account.

property: A data field within a Common Information Model (CIM) class definition. This consists of a simple name, a type, and a value.

ReturnTypeDescriptor: An attribute of a MethodInstance. It is the TypeDescriptor that identifies the portion of a Method's return or output Parameters to extract and return as the result of executing the MethodInstance. It defines the View of the EntityInstances returned, with its child TypeDescriptors denoting the Fields of the View.

root element: The top-level element in an XML document. It contains all other elements and is not contained by any other element, as described in [XML].

root TypeDescriptor: A TypeDescriptor that is contained by a Parameter and has no parent TypeDescriptor. A Parameter can contain only one root TypeDescriptor.

Scalar: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to return a scalar value.

security principal: (1) A unique entity that is identifiable through cryptographic means by at least one key. It frequently corresponds to a human user, but also can be a service that offers a resource to other security principals. Also referred to as principal.

(2) An identity that can be used to regulate access to resources. A security principal can be a user, a computer, or a group that represents a set of users.

Setting: A partition of a metadata store. It is used to store Properties, localized names, and access control entries (ACEs) for MetadataObjects.

simple type: An element that can contain only text and appears as <simpleType> in an XML document or any attribute of an element. Attributes are considered simple types because they contain only text. See also complex type.

SOAP: A lightweight protocol for exchanging structured information in a decentralized, distributed environment. SOAP uses XML technologies to define an extensible messaging framework, which provides a message construct that can be exchanged over a variety of underlying protocols. The framework has been designed to be independent of any particular programming model and other implementation-specific semantics. SOAP 1.2 supersedes SOAP 1.1. See [SOAP1.2-1/2003].

SOAP action: The HTTP request header field used to indicate the intent of the SOAP request, using a URI value. See [SOAP1.1] section 6.1.1 for more information.

SOAP body: A container for the payload data being delivered by a SOAP message to its recipient. See [SOAP1.2-1/2007] section 5.3 for more information.

SOAP fault: A container for error and status information within a SOAP message. See [SOAP1.2-1/2007] section 5.4 for more information.

SpecificFinder: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to return a specific EntityInstance of a specific Entity given its EntityInstanceId. SpecificFinder input is defined and ordered by the Identifiers that are associated with the Entity that is associated with the Method that is associated with the SpecificFinder.

SsoTicketFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used in conjunction with a single sign-on (SSO) system to transmit an SSO ticket to a line-of-business (LOB) system.

StreamAccessor: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to retrieve a Field of an EntityInstance in the form of a data stream of bytes.

TimeStampFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value can be a timestamp that specifies the earliest update to return, if the LOB system can return data that was updated after a specified time.

TypeDescriptor: A type of MetadataObject that describes a subset of the structure of a Parameter of a Method of the native API of a line-of-business (LOB) system. A TypeDescriptor can contain TypeDescriptors to form hierarchies that describe Parameters representing complex types, where the leaf TypeDescriptors describe simple or primitive types. A root TypeDescriptor, together with DefaultValues for leaf TypeDescriptors can be used to instantiate an instance of a Parameter value to send to a LOB system to execute a Method.

TypeReflector: A unit of business logic that converts data structures between the type system of the protocol client and the native type system of a line-of-business (LOB) system.

Unicode: A character encoding standard developed by the Unicode Consortium that represents almost all of the written languages of the world. The Unicode standard [UNICODE5.0.0/2007] provides three forms (UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32) and seven schemes (UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-16 BE, UTF-16 LE, UTF-32, UTF-32 LE, and UTF-32 BE).

Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): A string that identifies a resource. The URI is an addressing mechanism defined in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax [RFC3986].

Uniform Resource Locator (URL): A string of characters in a standardized format that identifies a document or resource on the World Wide Web. The format is as specified in [RFC1738].

Updater: A type of MethodInstance that can be called to update an EntityInstance identified by a specified EntityInstanceId. The set of Fields that is required to update the EntityInstance is referred to as the Updater View.

UserContextFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value can be set automatically by a protocol client to the identity of the user who is calling the LOB system. This value can then be used by the LOB system to authorize and filter the results that are returned.

UserCultureFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value specifies the locale that is used by the application initiating the call.

UsernameCredentialFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system and can hold the user name of an account that is defined in that system. When used in conjunction with PasswordCredentialFilter, the LOB system can use its value to restrict access to data.

UserProfileFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system and whose value can be obtained by examining the current user's profile. The LOB system can use its value to filter the results that are returned.

view: See form view (Microsoft InfoPath), list view (SharePoint Products and Technologies), or View (Microsoft Business Connectivity Services).

web service: A unit of application logic that provides data and services to other applications and can be called by using standard Internet transport protocols such as HTTP, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), or File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Web services can perform functions that range from simple requests to complicated business processes.

Web Services Description Language (WSDL): An XML format for describing network services as a set of endpoints that operate on messages that contain either document-oriented or procedure-oriented information. The operations and messages are described abstractly and are bound to a concrete network protocol and message format in order to define an endpoint. Related concrete endpoints are combined into abstract endpoints, which describe a network service. WSDL is extensible, which allows the description of endpoints and their messages regardless of the message formats or network protocols that are used.

WildcardFilter: A FilterDescriptor type that is used when querying a line-of-business (LOB) system. Its value represents a pattern of regular and wildcard characters that is matched against the value of a particular Field of the set of EntityInstances. The LOB system returns only those EntityInstances whose Field values match the specified pattern.

WSDL message: An abstract, typed definition of the data that is communicated during a WSDL operation [WSDL]. Also, an element that describes the data being exchanged between web service providers and clients.

WSDL operation: A single action or function of a web service. The execution of a WSDL operation typically requires the exchange of messages between the service requestor and the service provider.

XML: The Extensible Markup Language, as described in [XML1.0].

XML attribute: A name/value pair, separated by an equal sign (=) and included in a tagged element, that modifies features of an element. All XML attribute values are stored as strings enclosed in quotation marks.

XML element: An XML structure that typically consists of a start tag, an end tag, and the information between those tags. Elements can have attributes and can contain other elements.

XML namespace: A collection of names that is used to identify elements, types, and attributes in XML documents identified in a URI reference [RFC3986]. A combination of XML namespace and local name allows XML documents to use elements, types, and attributes that have the same names but come from different sources. For more information, see [XMLNS-2ED].

XML namespace prefix: An abbreviated form of an XML namespace, as described in [XML].

XML schema: A description of a type of XML document that is typically expressed in terms of constraints on the structure and content of documents of that type, in addition to the basic syntax constraints that are imposed by XML itself. An XML schema provides a view of a document type at a relatively high level of abstraction.

XML schema definition (XSD): The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard language that is used in defining XML schemas. Schemas are useful for enforcing structure and constraining the types of data that can be used validly within other XML documents. XML schema definition refers to the fully specified and currently recommended standard for use in authoring XML schemas.

MAY, SHOULD, MUST, SHOULD NOT, MUST NOT: These terms (in all caps) are used as defined in [RFC2119]. All statements of optional behavior use either MAY, SHOULD, or SHOULD NOT.