Catalogsto

Catalogsto is a term used in information management to describe a hypothetical, interoperable data catalog architecture intended to support scalable, modular catalogs across organizations. The term functions as a conceptual model rather than a formal standard, appearing in academic discussions and industry blogs to illustrate design tradeoffs in data catalog systems.

Origins of the term are informal; it is not tied to a single organization or specification. In discussions, catalogsto is often presented as a reference architecture that can accommodate diverse metadata schemas, multiple data domains, and various deployment contexts—from on-premises catalogs to cloud-based services.

Core features commonly attributed to catalogsto in these discussions include a modular stack with a core catalog service, a metadata store, an indexing or search service, and an access layer with authentication and authorization. It emphasizes open, pluggable connectors for data sources and metadata standards, API-driven interaction (REST or GraphQL), and provenance tracking for changes to catalog entries. Proponents stress interoperability and the ability to federate catalogs across organizational boundaries.

Because catalogsto is a conceptual model rather than a fixed product, real-world implementations vary and may use different technologies. The term is used primarily as a teaching tool and a benchmark for evaluating data catalog designs, rather than as a claimed product line.

Related topics include data catalogs, metadata management, data governance, interoperability, and API-based integration.