What is Azure Data Catalog?
Azure Data Catalog is a cloud tool for registering and finding data assets and sources by companies. It is metadata catalog which can store, describe, indexes and provides information on how to access any preregistered data. It helps data analysts, data scientists and developers to register, find, analyze and use data sources.
Data Catalog keeps the data in its existing location, but a copy of the metadata, along with a reference to the data source location, is added. The metadata can be indexed so that it can be indexed and is easier to find and understand for the users who discover it.
How is Azure Data Catalog used?
Azure Data Catalog primarily enables in organizing and registering data assets and sources created and used by an organization. Typically, it is used to;
- To register / record the locations of data sources for quick and easy retrieval
- Restructuring data sources and the way it is accessed
- Provide analytical view into how specific data assets or sources are used
- Provide indexing service for data scattered across the organization