A request for a metadata object is received. It is determined whether the metadata object is stored in a metadata cache. In the event the metadata object is not stored in the metadata cache, a request to obtain the metadata object is sent to a source with which the metadata object is associated in a format associated with the source. The metadata object is transformed from a native format of the source into a common format if the metadata object as provided by the source is in a native format that is not the same as the common format. Access to the metadata object in the common format is provided.