Framework Manager is a tool that allows you to make data sources known for use within the various Cognos suites and allows you to add additional logic and details. Within a logical Cognos architecture a Framework Manager model contains the logic and information required for one of the Cognos tools to use a data source. This means things like the database name, the links and logic between the data, user-friendly naming, field formatting, languages, security, etc. That’s why a Framework Manager model is sometimes called a “meta” layer, as it adds meta data to data.