1. A method for managing applications that utilize a database, the method comprising: a processor of a data processing system executing code that performs the functions of: defining a plurality of metadata that describe operational characteristics of a database object; defining a meta-metadata for each metadata in the plurality of metadata, wherein the meta-metadata describes a metadata variance for each metadata in the plurality of metadata; providing, to a first application program, access to the database object; and correlating a change in a behavior of the first application program with the meta-metadata when the first application program accesses the database object.