Data cataloging is an effective way to capture all your digital assets. It helps data users to discover the right data, based on their needs. It also provides a single, comprehensive view of all your data.

Data owners and data stewards work together to ensure that data is kept accurate and up to date. They also manage metadata. This includes business, technical, and administrative metadata.

Metadata can be stored in a separate file or in a database system. It can be either binary or human readable. The former makes it easier to read for humans, while the latter is more efficient for processing speed.

The metadata can be arranged in readable tables. Each table may have dozens of fields. When you move a digital object, its metadata travels with it.

The metadata also explains how the object is related to other data. For example, it describes how an object was created, its structure, and the relationships between the object and other assets.

Modern data catalogs are structured on top of a knowledge graph. These catalogs allow for granular control and simplify access. Using this kind of data catalog, you can easily identify and link to important people who are responsible for particular data assets.

Data catalogs can be managed on-premises or cloud-based. They can be used for both structured and unstructured data. If you’re planning to migrate your data to the cloud, you’ll want to consider the microservices architecture of AWS.