1. A metadata system for use in an industrial automation environment, the metadata system comprising: one or more processors; one or more memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions to implement the system, including: an industrial automation controller that processes a data object stored in the industrial automation controller, the data object storing data including at least one of collected data from the industrial automation environment or configuration data for the industrial automation controller; and an append component that receives the data object stored in the at least one industrial automation controller and associates metadata with the data object, wherein the metadata describes the data stored in the data object in manner that is informative with respect to industrial automation according to a common definition utilized in the industrial automation environment.