Data Migration Engine (DME)

The Data Migration Engine (DME) is software developed by the WA Department of Ecology to quickly enter new information into the Facility/Site Identification System (F/S System). Each new (or candidate) record is compared to existing information to identify if the record already exists in the system. The system automatically identifies potential matches by their physical proximity to the candidate record (defined by geographic coordinates) or by identical name.

1. Facility Matching – matches or inserts facility/site names, locations, and interactions.
2. Affiliation Matching – matches or inserts affiliations one at a time.
3. Auto Load Affiliations – through a batch process, the system automatically searches for identical matches and creates affiliations with the facility/site. New records are automatically added. A list of records that were not matched or inserted (skipped records) are provided.

Candidate Data: records that are being migrated into the F/S System. These records originate from another database maintained by a program within Ecology. The records have been "cleaned", checked for compliance with the System standards for name and address, and contain a geographic coordinate in latitude/longitude.

Production Data: records that already exist in the F/S System.

Match: a candidate record (either facility/site or affiliation) that matches a production record exactly. It is the same facility/site, same location, same business.

Insert: a candidate record (either facility/site or affiliation) that does not match a production record and is a facility/site that is not already in the F/S System.

Skip: a candidate record (either facility/site or affiliation) that may be a match to a production record. More information is needed to confirm the match. For example, the name may be identical, but the street address may be slightly different. These records are handled later and may require review of paper files or calling another program or the business. An electronic note is written when the record is skipped to assist in the confirmation process.