The Data Model Resource Book, Volume 3: Universal Patterns for Data Modeling

Silverston c07.tex V2 - 11/20/2008 5:44pm Page 364

364 Chapter 7 ■ Contact Mechanisms: How to Get in Touch

pattern offers consolidation of contact mechanism data, there is still a way to

consolidate even more, as we discuss in the next section.

Level 4 Contact Mechanism Pattern

The Level 4 Contact Mechanism Pattern is even a more flexible solution.

We consider it a ‘plug-and-play’ type pattern. What we mean by this is

that once this pattern has been added, any ENTITY that needs access to all

CONTACT MECHANISM(s) and CONTACT MECHANISM CATEGORY(s)

(including type, purpose, usage, location, priority, and any other classification)

just needs to plug itself into (that is, create the having, the contact mechanism

for relationship) the CONTACT MECHANISM APPLICATION, and it has

access to everything it needs. This pattern suits enterprises that require highly

flexible and consistent data solutions that minimize the impact of change to

their underlying data architecture.

Why Do We Need This Pattern?

This pattern is quite similar to the level 3 pattern, but it differs in two

significant ways. First, it encapsulates all of the relationships that every entity

has with CONTACT MECHANISM into a single consolidated entity called

CONTACT MECHANISM APPLICATION. Second, it maintains all contact

mechanism usages and purposes as CONTACT MECHANISM CATEGORY(s)

that are CONTACT MECHANISM CATEGORY TYPE(s) of ‘‘Purpose type’’ ...