Data & Infrastructure

Data Catalog

A data catalog is a central directory that inventories, describes, and makes searchable all available data assets in an organization. It documents metadata like origin, owner, quality, schema, and usage conditions — the "phone book" of your enterprise data, helping teams quickly find the right data.

Why does this matter?

Without a data catalog, departments often do not know what data already exists in the organization — leading to duplicate data collection, inconsistent reports, and missed AI opportunities. A data catalog makes the data inventory transparent and accelerates every new analytics or AI project by eliminating data sourcing.

How IJONIS uses this

We implement data catalogs with open-source tools like DataHub or Amundsen that integrate seamlessly into your existing infrastructure. The catalog is automatically populated from data pipelines, databases, and BI tools — no manual documentation needed. Business glossaries connect technical metadata with understandable business terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a data catalog and a data dictionary?
A data dictionary describes the technical structure of a single database (tables, columns, data types). A data catalog is more comprehensive: it inventories all data sources in the organization, documents relationships between datasets, and adds business context like owner, usage purpose, and quality level.
How do I keep the data catalog up to date?
Through automation. Our data catalogs are automatically updated via crawlers and pipeline integrations when schemas, data sources, or quality metrics change. Manual maintenance is limited to business descriptions and responsibilities — keeping effort minimal.

Want to learn more?

Find out how we apply this technology for your business.