Active metadata is a term used to describe metadata that is actively used and managed to support the flow and management of data within an organization. It is often contrasted with passive metadata, which is metadata that is collected and stored but not actively used or managed.
What is Active Metadata
Metadata that is actively flowing and updating across the entire data stack is called active metadata. This type of metadata often includes a variety of information, such as operational, business, social, and technical details. Active metadata allows for the rapid and seamless sharing of context and information among all tools in the data stack. It is typically more complex than passive metadata, which is simply stored and not actively used or updated.
Active metadata provides context and information to those working with data, whether they are using business intelligence tools, messaging platforms, query editors, or project management software. By actively sending metadata back into every tool in the data stack, users have access to the necessary context and information they need to understand and work with the data. This can greatly improve efficiency and accuracy in data analysis and decision-making.
When we say that both the metadata and the management of it are active in active metadata, we mean that the metadata is constantly changing and being updated as the data itself changes. This includes generating, collecting, and indexing metadata as the data is used, updated, and modified. In other words, the metadata is not static, but rather it is actively flowing and updating along with the data. This allows for the most accurate and up-to-date context and information to be available to those working with the data.
According to Gartner’s Market Guide for Active Metadata, there are four key characteristics of active metadata:
- Always on: Active metadata is constantly collecting metadata from various sources, such as logs, query history, and usage statistics.
- Intelligent: Active metadata uses processed metadata to create intelligence and become smarter over time as it is used and observes more metadata.
- Action-oriented: Active metadata drives action by providing recommendations, generating alerts, and making it easier for people to make decisions. It can even automatically make decisions without human intervention, such as stopping downstream pipelines when data quality issues are detected.
- Open by default: Active metadata platforms use APIs to connect to every part of the modern data stack, enabling embedded collaboration and saving data practitioners from constantly switching between tools.
How Active Metadata improves Modern Data Management?
Active metadata is typically used to support data governance, data lineage, data discovery, and other data management activities. It can include information about data sources, data definitions, data relationships, data transformations, and other aspects of data management.
One key benefit of active metadata is that it helps organizations to more effectively manage and understand their data assets. By actively using and managing metadata, organizations can improve data governance, enhance data quality, and more easily access and use data.
In addition, active metadata can help organizations to more easily and effectively scale their data management processes as the organization grows and data volumes increase. By providing a comprehensive and up-to-date view of the data landscape, active metadata can help organizations to better understand and manage their data assets.
How active metadata helps in improving data quality?
Active metadata can help to improve data quality in a number of ways:
- Data definitions: Active metadata can include information about the definitions and meanings of data elements, which can help to ensure that data is properly understood and used.
- Data lineage: By tracking the flow and transformation of data over time, active metadata can help to identify and correct errors or inconsistencies in data.
- Data governance: By providing a comprehensive view of the data landscape, active metadata can help organizations to implement effective data governance policies and practices, which can help to improve data quality.
- Data discovery: Active metadata can help organizations to more easily discover and access relevant data, which can help to ensure that the right data is being used for decision-making and analysis.
How active metadata help a retail company
Active metadata can help a retail company in a number of ways:
- Customer data management: By actively managing metadata related to customer data, a retail company can better understand and segment its customer base, improving targeting and personalization of marketing and sales efforts.
- Supply chain management: Active metadata can help a retail company to more effectively manage and track its supply chain, enabling better forecasting and inventory management.
- Data-driven decision-making: By actively using and managing metadata, a retail company can more easily access and use relevant data for decision-making and analysis, leading to improved operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Data governance: Active metadata can help a retail company to implement effective data governance policies and practices, ensuring that customer and operational data is properly managed and protected.
Active metadata can help a retail company to more effectively manage and understand its data assets, leading to improved data quality, better data governance, and more efficient data-driven decision-making.
How active metadata can help a banking institution
Active metadata can help a banking institution in a number of ways:
- Customer data management: By actively managing metadata related to customer data, a banking institution can better understand and segment its customer base, improving targeting and personalization of marketing and sales efforts.
- Risk management: Active metadata can help a banking institution to more effectively manage and track risk, enabling better risk assessment and decision-making.
- Data-driven decision-making: By actively using and managing metadata, a banking institution can more easily access and use relevant data for decision-making and analysis, leading to improved operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Compliance: Active metadata can help a banking institution to more easily meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate compliance with industry standards.
- Data governance: Active metadata can help a banking institution to implement effective data governance policies and practices, ensuring that customer and operational data is properly managed and protected.
Overall, active metadata can help organizations to more effectively manage and understand their data assets, which can lead to improved data quality. By actively using and managing metadata, organizations can enhance data governance, improve data lineage, and more easily access and use data.
Also, read about Data catalogues https://www.scikiq.com/blog/data-catalogue-a-key-element-of-modern-data-management-strategies/
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