At SmallNet Consulting, we’ve been implementing and providing training in data governance and data catalogs for over 15 years.
The IBM Knowledge Catalog is at the heart of IBM’s data governance solution and in a previous BLOG we summarised many of the features and benefits. However JUST recently IBM has complimented to Knowledge Catalog with a NEW Capability ‘RELATIONSHIP EXPLORER’ with its capability doing exactly what is says, it allows analysts and data users/producers to see and visualise the relationship between all your data assets.
Here we have consolidated the key features and benefits of IBM Knowledge Catalog Relationship Explorer.
- Custom Relationships Visualisation:
- Relationship Explorer supports both out-of-the-box relationships and custom-defined relationships.
- Users can visualize these relationships using the Relationship Explorer interface.
- This feature allows users to understand connections between various data assets.
- Data Protection Rules Support:
- Relationship Explorer includes support for data protection rules.
- Users can view and analyse data assets related to data protection rules.
- A separate type of node represents data protection rules in the graph.
- Integration with Data Lineage:
- Relationship Explorer and DATA lineage share the same database.
- While data lineage focuses on the flow of data from source to downstream, Relationship Explorer emphasizes relationships between data and metadata.
- Together, they provide a comprehensive view of data assets and their connections.
- Business Term Analysis:
- Users can examine business terms and view all data assets linked to them.
- Additionally, users can attach data governance policies to business terms, ensuring that connected assets comply with governance rules.
- Custom Relationships and Bulk Edits:
- Custom relationships between policies and data sets can be established.
- Bulk edit options allow users to efficiently manage connections and relationships within IBM Knowledge Catalog.
- Role Flexibility:
- Relationship Explorer works seamlessly with existing roles in IBM Knowledge Catalog (ICAC).
- No additional roles are required to enable access to Relationship Explorer.
- Users who can access governance artifacts or catalog assets can smoothly use Relationship Explorer.
- Reference Data Sets and Values:
- Relationship Explorer supports reference data sets.
- While values within reference data sets are not surfaced as separate nodes, users can still explore their relationships.
- Data Quality Support:
- Relationship Explorer provides artificial intelligence related to data quality.
- Users can visualize data quality rules and their impact on relationships.
- Contextualising Search Results:
- Semantic search in IBM Knowledge Catalog is already connected to Relationship Explorer.
- Users can visualise search results directly within Relationship Explorer.
- This allows contextualization of search items and exploration of their relationships.
- Identifying Data Redundancy:
- While not directly, Relationship Explorer can help identify shared redundant columns or data assets.
- Users can explore relationships to spot redundancy patterns.
- Challenges with Conflicting Policies:
- Identifying conflicting policies is beyond the scope of Relationship Explorer.
- Policies are descriptive in nature, making systematic analysis challenging.
- Future enhancements may address this aspect.
Remember that Relationship Explorer complements existing functionality in IBM Knowledge Catalog, providing a powerful tool for understanding data relationships and enhancing data governance.
The IBM Knowledge Catalog is a data governance solution designed to help organisations manage and curate their data and knowledge assets. It’s part of IBM’s suite of data management tools and is available as a managed Software as a Service (SaaS) or within IBM Cloud Pak® for Data.
For more detailed information, please reach out to SmallNet Consulting here – https://www.smallnetconsulting.co.uk/contact-us/
