What is a data catalog?

This episode of Techsplainers explores data catalogs - the comprehensive inventories that help organizations discover, understand, and access their data assets. We examine how data catalogs function as the "Google search" for enterprise data, organizing both structured and unstructured information through rich metadata management. The discussion covers four essential metadata types: technical (file specifications), operational (usage history), administrative (governance policies), and business (contextual relevance). We highlight how data catalogs enable self-service analytics, breaking down silos and accelerating insight generation while maintaining governance and compliance. The episode also details key features of modern data catalogs including intuitive discovery, lineage visualization, governance integration, and AI capabilities that automate metadata enrichment and enhance searchability. For organizations drowning in data but starving for insights, data catalogs transform information from hidden assets into strategic resources accessible to both technical and business users. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/data-catalogFind more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Dan Segal