Demystifying data catalogs and data products

Data catalogs and data products are integral components of a robust data strategy, each serving distinct but complementary roles. Data catalogs function as comprehensive inventories of an organization's data assets, enhancing data literacy by providing clarity, coherence, and secure access to data, thus aiding in metadata management, data governance, and regulatory compliance. They help users navigate vast data ecosystems by offering features like search capabilities, data lineage, and metadata management, which together foster trust and accessibility. On the other hand, data products are curated datasets designed to provide business value swiftly by being easily discoverable, understandable, and trustworthy. They are created with specific structural, process, and functional characteristics that ensure their utility and alignment with business goals, often using federated queries to minimize data movement and enhance agility. Starburst's Galaxy and Gravity platforms exemplify this synergy by combining data cataloging and product management with centralized governance, enabling efficient, secure, and value-driven data consumption. Upcoming features like data quality and lineage aim to further enhance this ecosystem by providing deeper insights into data provenance and fitness, fostering confidence and trust between data producers and consumers.