# Data Catalog

## What is a Data Catalog

A data catalog is a comprehensive inventory of data assets within an organization, designed to help users find, understand, and use data effectively.

## Metadata in Data Catalog

Metadata is the descriptive information about data, providing context and meaning. In a data catalog, metadata can be categorized into several types:

1. **Technical Metadata**:
   * **Schema Information**: Details about the structure of the data, such as tables, columns, data types, indexes, and constraints.
   * **Data Source Information**: Information about where the data originates, such as database names, server locations, and connection strings.
   * **Relationship**: Defines how a particular data is related to other data sets .
2. **Business Metadata**:
   * **Business Glossary**: Definitions and descriptions of business terms and concepts to ensure a common understanding across the organization.
   * **Data Ownership**: Information about who is responsible for the data, including data stewards and data owners.
   * **Usage Context**: Information about how and why the data is used in business processes and decision-making.
3. **Operational Metadata**:
   * **Data Quality Metrics**: Information about the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness of the data.
   * **Access and Usage Statistics**: Details about who accessed the data, when it was accessed, and how frequently it is used.
   * **Processing Metadata**: Information about data processing jobs, such as ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, including job schedules, statuses, and logs.
4. **Governance Metadata**:
   * **Policies and Compliance**: Information about data governance policies, regulatory requirements, and compliance statuses.
   * **Security Information**: Details about data security measures, including encryption, masking, and access controls.

### VDA Data Catalog :

Data Catalog in VDA consists of below components 

### Data Source

A data source is a logical or physical grouping of related data assets, which can include tables, files, objects, or even dashboards

{% content-ref url="data-catalog/datasource" %}
[datasource](https://docs.vdalive.com/how-to-guides/data-catalog/datasource)
{% endcontent-ref %}

### Datasets

A dataset is a collection of related data, typically organized into tables, files, or objects, that is used for analysis, reporting, or other data-driven tasks

{% content-ref url="data-catalog/datasets" %}
[datasets](https://docs.vdalive.com/how-to-guides/data-catalog/datasets)
{% endcontent-ref %}