The purpose of BIDM is to define the minimal set of information about assets that reuse libraries should be able to exchange to support interoperability. Since the BIDM describes a minimal set, other data that would be useful for interoperability, such as library data model information as well as communication protocol and related standards, are not included in the BIDM. The BIDM consists of five classes that have attributes and relationships with other classes. An RIGObject is the root class of the BIDM model. Attributes defined in the RIGObject class are inherited by the sublcasses. The four BIDM subclasses along with attributes for each class are described below. The data model is best illustrated using the graphic notation of James Rumbaugh's Object-Oriented Modeling and Design. The BIDM is illustrated by this graphic notation in Figure 1, the legend of which follows. For more information about the attributes of a class, see the Glossary. (The * below indicates a local relationship).

Abstract - general definition or explanation of an asset.
Address - in Organization, the mailing address of the organization (or person). Includes street number, name, city, state, zipcode, and count ry.
Attribute - a characteristic of a class for which a value may be gi ven for an instance of that class.
Asset - any reusable entity in the software life cycle process (e.g ., a software package, tool, or routine).
AwardedWith - relates an asset to a certificate that states that th e asset has been assessed or evaluated according to specified evaluation c riteria.
BIDM - Basic Interoperability Data Model
Certificate - software review or evaluation.
CertificationArtifact - a tangible result from a certification proc ess (e.g., inspection checklist, metric report).
CertificationLevel - Certification level awarded to an asset by a c ertificate.
CertificationMethod - the method applied in assessing a certificati on property (e.g., inspection, static analysis, testing, formal verificati on, benchmarking).
CertificationPolicy - The policy used for the certification process of the Asset.
CertificationProperty - A feature or characteristic of an asset tha t may be assessed during a certification process.
CertificationStatus - status of the certificate (e.g., approved, re jected, in progress).
CertifiedBy - indicates the organization that issued the certificat e or performed the certification process.
Class - type of BIDM object
ContactIs - An organization that is a point of contact for a librar y or asset (an organization can be a person).
Cost - the type and amount of fees a subscriber must pay to obtain the right to reuse an asset, including type of currency paid and pricing p olicy for maintenance support and upgrades.
DateOfInformation - the date the information about an asset was las t updated.
DistributionStatement - an indication of who may receive an asset.
Domain - a broad area of interest, application area, or area of act ivity or knowledge.
Element - a file that is part of an asset
ElementType - the kind of element (e.g., source code, test suite, m akefile)
Field - an attribute or relationship.
Icon - the url for an icon that graphically represents or provides information about the asset.
IsComposedOf - indicates an asset that is a subset or part of an as set.
IsLocatedIn - indicates a library (i.e., repository) in which an as set is located.
IsMadeOf - indicates an element (i.e., file) that is part of an ass et.
Keyword - a word or phrase that describes the asset.
Language - programming language used to express one or more element s of an asset.
Library - repository that contains assets.
Local - found in the repository currently being administrated.
Media - the media through which an element can be obtained (e.g., C d-ROM, electronic, etc.).
Name - name or title of an object
Non-local - found in another (foreign) repository.
Object - an instance of a class.
Organization - a person, company, research group, etc. that creates and manages an asset or library.
PolicyEffectiveDate - date the CertificationPolicy was made effecti ve for the organization.
PolicyReference - reference to document(s) or standard(s) that defi ne a CertificationPolicy.
PropertyDescription - a statement about some feature or characteris tic of an asset that may be assessed as being true or false during a certi fication process.
RecordMaintainedBy - an organization (see Organization) that is res ponsible for maintaining the catalog record for an object.
Relationship - a relationship between two classes, expressed by a l ink from an instance of the first class to an instance of the second.
Restrictions - legal information governing the use of the asset, in cluding possibly copyright, patents, data rights, disclaimers, export rest rictions, and licenses.
RIB - Repository In a Box
RIG - Reuse Library Interoperability Group
SecurityClassification - the highest security classification assign ed to the asset or to any part of it.
TargetEnvironment - computer system, operating system, and/or compi ler for which an asset was developed or on which an asset will operate.
ToolApplied - reference to the automated tool applied in support of the CertificationMethod assessing the CertificationProperty.
TitleLine - a one line description of an asset.
UniqueID - a name or handle used to refer to the set of data that m akes up the identity of the asset or element.
Version - the designation of the version of an asset (usually a num ber).
VersionDate - the publication date for the given version of an asse t (i.e., the date the asset was made available for public use).
WasCreatedBy - an organization (see Organization) that originated o r produced an asset.
Webpage - the url for the home page of the asset.