Data Catalog

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What Does Data Catalog Mean?

A data catalog belongs to a database instance and is comprised of metadata containing database object definitions like base tables, synonyms, views or synonyms and indexes. The SQL standard lays down a regular method for accessing the data catalog known as the information schema, though not all databases use this. They may implement other features of the SQL standard. A data catalog ensures capabilities that enable any users, from analysts to data scientists or developers, to discover and consume data sources. It includes a crowdsourcing arrangement/model of metadata and annotations that permits every user to contribute their knowledge.

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Techopedia Explains Data Catalog

A data catalog is a completely organized service that enables users to explore their required data sources and understand the data sources explored, and at the same time assist organizations to achieve more value from their present investments.

A user has to know the location of a data source to connect to the data. Data consumption experiences necessitate the user to know the connection string or path. A data catalog is designed to correct this issue and enables organizations to get maximum value from their present information assets. A data catalog assists by making data sources easy to discover and understand by the users who require the data they manage.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology expert

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.