Data catalogs make it easy to find information and data. The catalogs often sort by relevance and frequency of viewing. Many data catalogs integrate with analytics platforms to access data sets and insert them into BI tools for reporting and analysis. They eliminate data silos and provide a self-service user experience while removing the burden from data engineers. The benefits of using data catalogs are many and far reaching. In this article, we will explore some of these benefits.

Data profiling helps the consumer of data understand data quickly. Data profiles are informative summaries of data. Data profiles for a database often include the number of tables, files, and row counts. They may also include a column’s description, null count, or maximum/minimum value. Regardless of the size of the data collection, the ability to read data profiles can be a vital tool for businesses and organizations to meet their goals.

Metadata describes the data contained in a database. For example, an image’s metadata includes the name, description, format, and size, as well as author and date. An excel sheet containing an employee’s record information contains extensive metadata. Metadata is often confused with master data and reference data in the modern data stack. Metadata describes core entities and their characteristics. When used appropriately, metadata can help the users understand data and improve business operations.