[1] It is one of the multiple data integration approaches and may be classified as Global-As-View (GAV).
The following hierarchy is often used:[3][4][5] Ontologies, as formal models of representation with explicitly defined concepts and named relationships linking them, are used to address the issue of semantic heterogeneity in data sources.
In domains like bioinformatics and biomedicine, the rapid development, adoption and public availability of ontologies [1] has made it possible for the data integration community to leverage them for semantic integration of data and information.
Ontologies enable the unambiguous identification of entities in heterogeneous information systems and assertion of applicable named relationships that connect these entities together.
Specifically, ontologies play the following roles: There are three main architectures that are implemented in ontology‑based data integration applications,[1] namely,