Blog 4 Techies Metadata Management vs Master Data Management
Metadata management and master data management might seem similar, but they have different roles in your business. You can check Profisee to learn more about these two similar terms and how they can help improve your business. Here are the differences between metadata management and master data management:
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Table of Contents
The Primary Difference between Metadata and Master Data
Metadata means the header information about the data you are collecting in your business, which you can divide into the what, why, when, where, and how. It’s just the information that pinpoints the contents of the data you are collecting on the data estate. It doesn’t contain the data itself. You can say that metadata is the quick summary of what data assets you have in your data estate, and it also pinpoints each data asset within the data infrastructure.
In contrast, master data contains the data itself, and it contains the whole data you have collected in your business. It is the primary data you will use in your data analytics and other data-related processes.
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The Primary Advantage of Metadata Management and Master Data Management
Metadata management will ensure that you are managing your metadata in the best way possible within your business organization, meaning that each metadata should pinpoint to the right data asset within your data infrastructure. This accuracy is important because you need to get access to your business data by accessing the metadata information for each data asset. It will also help create the catalog or glossary for your business data, which will help improve the search and discovery process for all your data assets.
Master data management, in contrast, will ensure that you are putting your data assets in the best infrastructure that can manage and govern the incoming and outgoing data in your business organization. You will unify the data assets you have into a single source and then store them on a secure platform. It will ensure the ease of handling your data assets in your business, no matter what applications you are using.
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How Metadata Management and Master Data Management Use Your Business Data
Metadata management will use your data to display the information about the data, but it will not present the whole data. It’s just referencing the data assets that you have in your business, but the actual data would exist on the master data management platform. Aside from that, metadata management will make it simple for you to find data assets in various categories, as it manages the information about the data assets you have in your data infrastructure.
In contrast, master data management will use your data and integrate all your data assets into a single source. It will store all the data assets you have and make them accessible for your business by managing and categorizing them. You can customize how you manage and govern the data assets with master data management, and it will include the storage and backup system you can use to prevent any data loss.
Conclusion
You’ve learned about the differences between metadata management and master data management. Each of them has an important role in your business, and with the right management of your metadata and master data, you can improve various aspects of your business, make every data-related process seamless, and improve your business from time to time.