Practical Security And Policy-Based Governance In A Data Mesh

The text explores the concept of Data Mesh, a decentralized data governance model that empowers domain owners to manage data products and policy enforcement within their respective business units. This approach shifts the responsibility of data management from a centralized team to individual domains, promoting agility and responsiveness in dynamic business environments. Data Mesh encourages the use of metadata, access patterns, and infrastructure as code, enabling data products to be more than just collections of tables but rather comprehensive entities that include security policies and access controls. The document highlights the transition from role-based access control (RBAC) to attribute-based access control (ABAC) systems, which provide greater flexibility by associating access permissions with attributes rather than fixed roles. Emphasizing interoperability, the text suggests that shared metadata definitions across platforms like Starburst and Spark enhance the efficiency and consistency of data management. Overall, the text underscores the need for organizations to adapt their data governance processes to align with the decentralized nature of Data Mesh to maximize its potential benefits.