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Taking Software Packages into Account 67

As with other software packages, the degree of
independence in relation to an MDM system can be
questioned. Is it possible to change an MDM system over
time, if necessary?

This reversibility allows a company to be the trustee of its
reference and master data models. A company must make
the effort to formalize the knowledge of its data, even if it is
based on pre-built models, to avoid starting from scratch.
Then, the models must be translated into an IT standard
format that enables the MDM software package to be
changed without losing data or models.

This IT standard is a must; it must be XML for the data
and XML schema for the physical representation of the data
models.

If these two conditions are not respected, then companies
could encounter problems, in time, if they should change
their MDM tools; otherwise, the knowledge of data and its
implementation in XML and XML schema standards
guarantee a full reversibility.