By definition, a metadata is "data about the data." It is usually a file or database that describes another set of data or information. In MicroStrategy, the metadata repository is a database that contains the definitions of database objects such as tables and fields in a way that developers and users can easily understand. The MicroStrategy metadata could be thought of as a logical bridge between the technicalities of the database and the business terms, measures, and contexts of the organization.

The MicroStrategy metadata maps logical abstractions, called objects, to physical database objects, as illustrated in the following diagram:

Before creating the MicroStrategy metadata, it is necessary to have the following two prerequisites ready:

• A blank database (Amazon Redshift, DB2, Informix, Impala, SQL Server, Oracle, and so on. For a complete list of certified MicroStrategy metadata databases, check the Readme file or release notes corresponding to the version you are installing.)
• A DSN (Data Source Name) using the corresponding ODBC/JDBC driver to that blank database.

The steps to create the MicroStrategy metadata are:

1. Open the MicroStrategy Configuration Wizard (macfgwizw.EXE). This tool will let you create a MicroStrategy metadata, configure an Intelligence Server, and create a project source among other configuration tasks, as shown in the following screenshots:

2. Select the corresponding option for metadata creation: | Create Metadata, History List and Enterprise Manager Repositories.
3. Select a DSN. The DSN will have the connectivity information and driver to access the blank database using ODBC/JDBC protocol.
4. Follow the review window and click Next until the metadata table creation starts.

5. During the creation of the MicroStrategy metadata, the MicroStrategy Configuration Wizard creates an empty shell with table structures that will host data about the data. The data that will be later populated within the structures is what we will refer to as MicroStrategy objects. This concept will be explained in the next chapter.