An engine is a server capability that is programmable to automate specific processes. Typically these processes manipulate and store data.
Below are examples of engines:
- Workflow engine - for automating processes that coordinate the activity of people and systems.
- Data movement engine - for automating the movement of data from one store to another.
- Data virtualization engine - for automating the federation and transformation of data in response to a real-time query.
- Reporting engine - for extracting data and formatting into specific reports.
- Analytics engine - for executing analytical processes.
The metadata used by an engine relates to the processing it is performing and the data sources it is working with.
Most engines have associated tools to create the process definitions and manage the metadata, leaving the engines themselves to run the automated processes and create lineage metadata.
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