CDM Architecture Overview

Three-Layer Architecture

CDM is implemented across three main data layers, with the Metadata Model as the controlling core:

Layer 1 – Landing Zone (LDZ)
  • Environment-scoped schema (e.g., dev_ldz, prod_ldz, test_ldz)
  • Raw data from source systems, minimal transformations
  • Preserves business keys for reconciliation
  • Basis for Change Data Capture (CDC)
Layer 2 – Raw Data Vault (RDV)
  • Data Vault 2.0 implementation (Hubs, Links, Satellites, Link-Satellites)
  • Physical realization of the Canonical Data Model
  • Audit-friendly, insert-only, scalable structure
  • Central store of canonical entities and relationships
Layer 3 – 360 Layer
  • Customer 360, Campaign 360, and future 360s
  • Business-ready, denormalized, analytic views
  • Designed for segmentation, analytics, and API consumption
  • Focus: "how business users see the world", not how sources store it

Metadata Model – The Core Integration Layer

The Metadata Model orchestrates the full system:

  • Integration & mappings: Keeps all mappings from source → LDZ → RDV → 360.
  • ETL automation:

    Generic ETL engines read metadata and generate:

    • LDZ ingestion code
    • RDV transformation code
    • DQ and lineage code
    • Orchestration jobs
  • Data quality enforcement: Common rules are defined once and executed everywhere.
  • Lineage: Every column, every transformation, end-to-end.

This makes CDM configurable through metadata rather than hard-coded logic.

Metadata Model – The Core Integration Layer Why / What / How for CDM Users

WHY – Problems CDM Solves

  • Fragmented customer view across systems
  • No consistent customer identity
  • Channel-specific silos for campaigns and interactions
  • "Next Best Action" downgraded to "educated guess" due to missing context

WHAT – CDM Provides

  • Canonical entities (Party, Account, Product, Campaign, Response…)
  • Customer 360: unified, behavior-rich, consent- and risk-aware profile
  • Campaign 360: standardized performance metrics, audience context, and ROI view

HOW – Implementation Mechanisms

  • Canonicalization across products (same structures, different sources).
  • End-to-end stitched journeys using identity and events.
  • Identity resolution rules embedded in metadata and enforced in RDV and 360.