When it comes to managing data as a strategic asset, creating transparency with regard to a company's data assets and making them available to users is critical. To master this challenge, companies start to build up and use a Data Catalog. This report defines what a Data Catalog is and does and presents a reference model, specifying relevant user groups and basic functions. It also analyzes solutions available on the market and market trends.
When it comes to managing data as a strategic asset, creating transparency with regard to a company's data assets and making them available to users is critical. To master this challenge, companies have started to build up and use a Data Catalog, or plan to do so. Despite the proliferation of the concept, however, it is still unclear what exactly is meant by the term "Data Catalog", and what functional scope a Data Catalog should have. Uncertainty also arises from the fact that the market for Data Catalog solutions has hardly seen any consolidation so far. This report is intended to support companies in defining and scoping their Data Catalog project. In addition, the purpose of the report is to help companies in assessing Data Catalog solutions available on the market and choosing the one most suitable to meet their specific needs. The report defines what a Data Catalog is and does, and specifies its role in enterprise data management, presents a Data Catalog reference model, specifying relevant user groups and the basic functions of a Data Catalog, analyzes Data Catalog solutions available on the market as well as market trends.
Tobias Korte
Fraunhofer ISST computer science computer networking & communication data catalog Enterprise Data Management Data Curation Platform data assets data economic Chief Digital Officers (CDO) Chief Information Officer (CIO) data architect data analyst data citizen software developer IT consultant