datafiler

Datafiler is a term used in information technology to denote software, services, or processes that selectively retain or discard data according to defined rules, attributes, or content. It is commonly used in data integration, ETL workflows, data ingestion, and streaming analytics, where reducing data volume or enforcing policy is desirable. The term is not tied to a single product and may be generic or used as a brand name by vendors.

Core capabilities include attribute-based filtering (values in fields, source, timestamps), content-based filtering (pattern matching, regular expressions), and rule-driven policies. Some implementations support sampling or probabilistic filtering. Datafilers may operate at rest (extracting stored data) or in motion (filtering data as it is ingested or streamed), and they often integrate with data quality, masking, or redaction tools to support privacy and compliance.

In practice, datafilers serve several roles: data volume reduction to speed up processing, data curation by removing irrelevant records, and enforcement of data retention or minimization policies. In data governance and privacy contexts, filtering can help redact sensitive information or limit exposure of personal data. In log analytics and event processing, filtering helps focus on anomalies or events of interest.

The term may also refer to a person who files or manages data records in a database or file system, though this usage is less common in modern IT. See also data filtering, ETL, data pipeline, masking, governance.