Retain Associated Business Information and Dormant Objects
When business descriptions are loaded, and then database tables are dropped and recreated to load data, the business descriptions can be retained through the use of dormant objects. Without them, business descriptions associated with tables or views would be lost when those items are dropped and recreated. By using dormant objects, when tables or views are recreated, the business descriptions can be reassociated with them.
This is accomplished by using the MDS Retain Associated Business Information feature. This feature places certain DIM objects in a dormant state after they have been deleted. When such objects are deleted, they are not removed from the repository. Instead their publish states are set to dormant.
A dormant object does not actually exist and is not returned by ReadObject() or any GetCollection interface. It can later be reactivated and will then become visible. When an object is reactivated, all its relationships are also reactivated, so any business definitions set up before deleting the object are not lost.
The only DIM objects that may be made dormant are tables and views and their constituent objects. These are the object types that the Business classes (SubjectArea, BusinessAttribute, ad others) will currently reference. All other object types, either in the DIM or in other AIMs, can never be in a dormant state.
Dormant objects are supported by metaload and the DIM update processes. They will check for the existence of a dormant version of a table or view prior to adding a new table or view to the DIM.