Many organizations still rely on legacy systems for data cataloging and other data management tasks. It’s understandable, as the technology behind modern data catalog technology hasn’t always been ideal and applicable to every company. But data catalogs have advanced rapidly in recent years, and now is the perfect time to upgrade. In this blog, we’ll discuss why this is the case and why it’s time to leave your outdated legacy systems behind.

A brief introduction

Data is the lifeblood of modern organizations, and data management systems are necessary to effectively and efficiently utilize data. Data has only become more important with the rise of big data, and there are more data tools than ever available on the market. Legacy systems were once sufficient to handle the needs of most organizations, but harnessing the sheer influx of data in the modern business landscape has become untenable for these systems. 

On the flip side, modern data catalog solutions, while capable of solving many problems that legacy systems pose, weren’t always an option for everyone. Modern solutions were expensive and cloud-based infrastructure wasn’t always possible due to compliance regulations. However, the newest solutions solve these issues as well, with cloud-based data catalogs being more affordable than ever and also capable of meeting compliance regulations.

In short, if you thought modern data catalogs weren’t within reach before, now is the time to reconsider. Similar to electric cars, they have become more accessible, affordable and improved over time. Most organizations don’t have to be tied to legacy solutions in 2023.

Legacy data catalogs: limitations and challenges

Legacy data catalogs have served their purpose effectively for years, but the inefficiencies and challenges they pose can no longer be ignored. With the rapid advancement of technology, it’s no surprise that these systems are gradually being left behind.

Legacy data catalogs were developed to handle much simpler data needs when data sources were limited. Data has since exploded both in volume and complexity, and these systems no longer cut it. Let’s take a quick look at some of the biggest limitations these legacy systems pose:

• Lack of scalability — Lack of scalability is one of the biggest challenges of working with legacy data catalogs. These catalogs are typically unable to handle the volume of data, and investing in additional hardware and infrastructure to scale is expensive, both for upfront costs and maintenance. 
• Lack of flexibility — Legacy data catalogs aren’t as flexible as their modern counterparts. Integrating new data sources and formats can be a challenge, and finding working solutions to make data catalogs interoperable with other tools can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• Inefficient data discovery — Legacy data catalogs typically have poor data discovery capabilities. Users typically have to comb through data manually and the process can be overly technical. Most users have to rely on the data team when they need information. These also lead to much more inefficient decision-making processes.
• Compliance concerns — Legacy data catalogs sometimes lack the capabilities to meet the demands of modern data regulatory requirements and data governance practices. Keeping track of data lineage, enforcing data policies and ensuring data integrity can be difficult with these systems, especially compared to more modern solutions.

Modern data catalogs: changing the data landscape

Data catalogs have rapidly evolved in recent years and revolutionized the way organizations manage data. Cloud-based solutions, in particular, have opened up the capabilities of organizations to make the most of their valuable data assets.

Modern data catalogs overcome many of the limitations and challenges that organizations run into with legacy systems. Best of all, modern solutions are no longer out of reach. Anyone from small to enterprise-level businesses can take advantage of cloud-based data catalog solutions to leverage their data.

More and more companies are making the transition to modern solutions. Let’s dive into why.

What are the advantages of a modern data catalog?

Modern data catalogs bring several advantages that were previously missing in legacy data catalogs. These advancements have revolutionized the way organizations manage and utilize their data, paving the way for improved data-driven decision-making and unlocking new opportunities for businesses. Let’s take a look at some of the primary advantages that modern catalogs offer:

Scalability — We know that legacy catalogs have scalability issues since investing in hardware and on-premises infrastructure is a time-consuming and costly endeavor. With modern solutions, scaling in the cloud takes a fraction of the time, and the increased costs associated with expanding your catalog are comparatively affordable when looking at the costs of implementing physical infrastructure. These modern solutions allow organizations to truly harness the power of big data,

Data democratization — Modern data catalog solutions also make data discovery much more accessible for all users. While legacy systems would require technical expertise to parse the data catalog, modern solutions allow nontechnical users to access intuitive, search-based interfaces to access the data they need when they need it.

Data governance — Modern solutions include robust features to remain in compliance and improve data governance. These features help organizations ensure data quality, increase security and more easily enforce data policies. These modern solutions often include end-to-end lineage, data access monitoring and other governance-related features.

Metadata management — Modern data catalogs are much better at managing and storing metadata, which provides important context for data. Metadata management features, such as semantic tagging and automated classification, make it easier for organizations to manage their data.

Interoperability — Modern solutions also make it much simpler to integrate other data tools and platforms. While legacy solutions are often closed systems, modern data catalogs make it easier than ever for organizations to connect multiple data sources, systems and applications.

How to look at data repositories with a new lens

Now we understand the limitations of legacy data catalogs and how modern data catalogs are changing the industry. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the technologies that can vastly improve your business and give it a competitive edge by looking at data repositories through a new lens.

Remember, data catalogs are no longer just for data scientists or analysts anymore. They are for those who work with data, which is most people in modern data organizations. Using a modern data catalog will ensure you properly equip your team to make the most of the data they have available, improve data-driven decisions, create more efficient workflows and ultimately increase revenue. 

It’s time to prioritize modern data catalogs and make the switch from the legacy systems that can hold a company back. If you’re ready to implement a modern data catalog in your business, make the process as easy as possible with Secoda.

Try Secoda for free

Secoda is your ultimate all-in-one data management and data catalog platform. With Secoda, it’s easy to centralize your data assets and make it easy for your team to access and search the data they need. Secoda is equipped with numerous features to improve your data management capabilities, including data lineage, data access management and more. Try Secoda for free today to see how a modern data catalog can change your business for the better.

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