This document provides an overview of managed metadata in SharePoint 2010. It discusses the need for metadata management, the history of metadata in SharePoint, the end user and administrative experiences, and the architectural components. Key points include: metadata allows for easy classification and finding of information; columns and values were previously used for metadata but lacked management; end users can easily add metadata through typing, hierarchies, and Office integration; administrators can plan, design, and control metadata through term sets and libraries; and the managed metadata service stores metadata in a database and can be used across web applications.