MetadataKatalog

MetadataKatalog is a centralized repository and management system for metadata about data assets within an organization or across ecosystems. It enables discovery, governance, and reuse of data assets by aggregating metadata from diverse sources such as databases, data lakes, data warehouses, APIs, and files.

Key functions include ingestion and normalization of metadata, metadata catalogs and tagging, search and discovery, lineage tracking, data quality metrics, and policy enforcement for access and retention. It supports data stewardship by assigning roles.

Architecture typically includes ingestion adapters, a metadata store or graph database, a search/indexing layer, governance and policy components, APIs, and a user interface. It often aligns with open standards such as DCAT for catalog metadata, Dublin Core, schema.org, and PROV-O for provenance. It uses persistent identifiers, supports metadata versioning and lineage.

Use cases include data discovery for analysts, compliance reporting, impact analysis for changes, and collaboration among researchers and data stewards. It enhances data governance by providing traceability and audit trails, while enabling data reuse.

Challenges include metadata quality and completeness, drift over time, integration of heterogeneous sources, privacy and access controls, and ensuring up-to-date documentation. The term is used in both commercial and open-source contexts as a general concept rather than a single product.