Syntax
There are lots of different configuration languages (JSON, YAML, etc.). Users have to understand the specific syntax of the given language and translate the configuration into that syntax.
CORE CONCEPTS
Introduction to Semantic Configuration Management
What is Semantic Configuration Management?
At Omniscient, we believe one of the key challenges that businesses and their staff face when managing highly configurable systems, like digital twin simulations and cloud-native SaaS platforms, is the large semantic gap that exists between what the user is trying to achieve and the low-level tasks that need to be executed to achieve it. This semantic gap, and the extra mental load and complexity it burdens users with, is a source of substantial toil and error in the configuration lifecycle.
Current tooling to support users is often designed to help users bridge this semantic gap themselves, instead of bridging it for them. The fundamental goal of Semantic Configuration Management is to provide technology that eliminates some or all of that gap and enables users to focus on meaningful work by taking care of the meaningless.
What's in the semantic gap?
Format
In most configuration languages, the exact same configuration data can be represented in many different ways. Users have to be able to see through this meaningless redundancy in order to understand the underlying configuration.
Schema
Configurations often have a set of rules, known as a schema, that govern how they are structured, what ranges of value are valid, etc. Users have to understand that schema and ensure that they adhere to it.
Compatibility
Configuration schemas can evolve over time. Users need to understand how schemas have evolved over time, and figure out how to migrate existing configuration to ensure they remain valid and compatible.
Repetition
Configuration can be reused multiple times in different places. A single change may need to be made in multiple places. Users need to understand all the places where a piece of configuration is used, and ensure they maintain consistency across all of them.
Dependency
Configuration is often composed from multiple different, independently versioned configuration components. Changes to a single component can affect large numbers of downstream dependencies. Users need to understand this dependency network in order to understand the potential impact of changes.
The Three Pillars
At Omniscient, we are developing three core technologies, our "Three Pillars", that will form the foundation of our Semantic Configuration Management system. Click the links below to find out more about them.
Control
Semantic Control looks past meaningless formatting details to understand the underlying structure of your configuration. No more syntax errors. No more merge conflicts. Just meaningful, valuable control over your changes.
Compatibility
Semantic Compatibility transcends conventional schematic compatibility by automating both schema generation and data migration from a single model. No more legacy migration headaches. Just seamless, error-free maintenance of your configurations.
Composition
Semantic Composition enables complex, interrelated systems of configuration to be constructed from simple, human-friendly architectures that automatically maintain compatibility as your system evolves. No more brittle, error-prone configuration templates. Just intelligently evolving, long-lasting flexibility.