Emily Clarke

What is a Data Catalog?

Data is everywhere these days, especially if you work in tech. It can come from any number of sources, and the more data that accumulates, the greater the need for storage and cataloging. A data catalog is a collection of pieces of information that can be searched. Searches are usually performed using a data catalog tool. A data catalog tool may also be used to compare pieces of information from a catalog.

How Metadata Helps

To catalog data assets properly, metadata is used. Metadata is the information that tells an analyst about a piece of data rather than the analyst having to go through the information to figure out what it is. It often functions like a description that can make searching for specific data easier in a catalog.

There are also different types of metadata, including technical, process, and business. Each of these labels tells an analyst something about the info being examined to ensure that the right information is pulled from a catalog for use elsewhere.

Compliance and Data Catalogs

Because so much data is floating around out there, the potential for security and privacy violations exists. This has been a growing concern for decades, as more people now submit sensitive information using the web daily. As such, a data catalog must remain in compliance with applicable laws and regulations regarding data security and privacy.

Different countries have different laws about how data is to be handled, including how it is to be cataloged and stored. The use of a cataloging tool is helpful for data scientists who work with large volumes of information, as these types of tools often feature built-in compliance settings that can be customized based on a user's location or the original location of specific data.

AI and Data Catalogs

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also an evolving part of data cataloging. Advanced AI can detect context to a degree, and it may become useful in organizing large catalogs of data in the future. While the manual review may still be needed in most contexts, AI is believed to provide greater efficiency for data scientists trying to boost productivity in data review.

Author Resource:-

Emily Clarke writes about the best data catalog tools and data analysis softwares. You can find her thoughts at data dictionary blog.