A method, apparatus and article of manufacture is provided for mapping data objects
residing in multiple data sources, or generated dynamically, into a single, reusable
software component, for integrated information access to multiple disparate data
sources, residing on or generating the data dynamically on different hardware systems
and possibly in different data formats. The method has steps for identifying data
objects in multiple data sources, employing an information integration software
facility for connecting to the data sources containing the data objects, and registering
the data objects with the software facility, creating a single virtual data object
consolidating multiple attributes from the registered data objects, and establishing
a connection to the software facility for referencing the virtual data object as
though it was a single real data object. It also has a step for wrapping this virtual
data object as a reusable software component accessible directly from applications.
