Files stored within a repository are usually named using the UUIDs of the corresponding objects stored within Oracle VM Manager. Oracle VM Manager also stores and tracks other metadata about these files, such as the simple names defined for ISOs, virtual appliances and virtual machines. To make sure that object metadata is persistent within the repository, a hidden Berkeley DB database file containing this information is maintained on the repository filesystem. This makes it possible to retain this information when the repository is transferred to a different instance of Oracle VM Manager, or to rediscover this information when Oracle VM Manager is manually restored without a database backup.

Information within the metadata database is automatically updated and maintained during operations performed by Oracle VM Manager via the Oracle VM Agent running on an Oracle VM Server where the repository is presented. The metadata stored within the repository has precedence over the information contained within Oracle VM Manager. In the case where the information stored in the repository database and the information stored within Oracle VM Manager become out of sync, Oracle VM Manager updates the data records that it has for each object based on the information within the repository database. This synchronization process is triggered by performing a repository refresh or by restarting Oracle VM Manager.