Azure Data Catalog: Managed Cloud Service for Metadata Catalog
Azure Data Catalog is a fully managed cloud service that serves as a system of registration and discovery for enterprise data sources. It enables data professionals to register, enrich, discover, understand, and consume data assets across the organization—turning sprawling, siloed databases into a governed, searchable knowledge base. EPC Group has implemented data governance and cataloging solutions for Fortune 500 organizations looking to unlock the value of their data assets while maintaining compliance and control. Note: Microsoft Purview has succeeded Azure Data Catalog as the recommended enterprise data governance platform, and we guide clients through the transition.
Overview of Azure Data Catalog
Azure Data Catalog addresses a fundamental enterprise challenge: knowing what data exists, where it lives, and who owns it. In large organizations with hundreds or thousands of databases, data lakes, and file shares, finding the right data for analytics and reporting becomes a significant productivity bottleneck.
The catalog provides a crowdsourced model where data professionals register their data sources and add metadata annotations—descriptions, tags, expert contacts, and documentation links. Other users search and browse the catalog to discover data assets, understand their meaning and quality, and connect to them directly from tools like Power BI, Excel, and SQL Server Management Studio.
Important: Microsoft Purview (formerly Azure Purview) is the strategic successor to Azure Data Catalog, offering automated scanning, classification, lineage tracking, and broader data governance capabilities. EPC Group recommends new implementations start with Microsoft Purview and helps existing Data Catalog users plan their migration path.
- Self-service registration: Data owners register sources directly through a web portal or command-line tools
- Metadata enrichment: Add descriptions, tags, expert contacts, and documentation to any data asset
- Search and discovery: Full-text search with faceted filtering across all registered data assets
- Open from catalog: Launch data tools (Power BI, Excel, SSMS) directly from catalog entries
- API access: REST API for programmatic registration, search, and annotation
Key Features
- Data source registration: Register SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, MySQL, PostgreSQL, HDFS, Azure Blob Storage, Azure Data Lake, and more
- Automatic metadata extraction: Schema information, column names, data types, and relationships extracted automatically during registration
- Business glossary: Define and maintain a controlled vocabulary of business terms linked to data assets
- Expert annotations: Identify data stewards and subject matter experts for each data asset
- Data profiling: Basic statistical profiling (row counts, null percentages, value distributions) during registration
- Access request workflow: Users can request access to data sources they discover, routing to the data owner
- Azure AD integration: Enterprise authentication and role-based access control
- Bulk registration API: Register thousands of data assets programmatically through the REST API
Pricing
Azure Data Catalog pricing is straightforward with two editions designed for different organizational needs.
Free Edition
- Up to 5,000 registered data assets
- Up to 5 catalog users
- Core registration and discovery features
- Suitable for small teams and proof-of-concept projects
Standard Edition
- Unlimited registered data assets
- Unlimited catalog users
- Business glossary and expert annotations
- Data profiling capabilities
- Approximately $1 per user per month (billed annually)
- Recommended for enterprise-wide deployments
For organizations evaluating the next generation of data governance, Microsoft Purview offers consumption-based pricing with more comprehensive capabilities. Our consultants help clients compare the cost-benefit of both platforms based on their specific requirements.
Enterprise Use Cases
- Data democratization: Enable self-service analytics by making data assets discoverable to business analysts and data scientists
- Regulatory compliance: Catalog sensitive data assets to support GDPR data mapping, HIPAA data inventories, and SOC 2 audits
- Merger and acquisition integration: Rapidly catalog acquired company data assets to understand overlap and integration opportunities
- Data quality initiatives: Identify data stewards and establish ownership for data quality improvement programs
- Power BI governance: Catalog data sources used by Power BI reports to understand upstream dependencies and lineage
- Cloud migration planning: Inventory on-premises data assets before migration to prioritize and plan Azure data platform adoption
Integration with Other Azure Services
- Microsoft Purview: Migration path from Data Catalog to Purview for advanced governance, scanning, and lineage
- Power BI: Discover and connect to data sources directly from catalog entries for report development
- Azure Data Factory: Catalog data sources used in ETL pipelines for documentation and governance
- Azure SQL Database/Managed Instance: Register and annotate Azure SQL data assets with business context
- Azure Data Lake Storage: Catalog files and folders in data lakes with schema and business metadata
- Azure Active Directory: Enterprise SSO and RBAC for catalog access management
Best Practices for Enterprise Deployments
- Establish data stewardship: Assign data owners to every registered asset and enforce ownership accountability
- Build a business glossary first: Define standard business terms before registration to ensure consistent annotations
- Automate registration: Use the REST API and Azure Data Factory to register data assets as part of CI/CD pipelines
- Encourage crowdsourced enrichment: Train business users to add annotations, ratings, and documentation to improve catalog quality
- Plan for Purview migration: New implementations should evaluate Microsoft Purview; existing Data Catalog users should plan transition timelines
- Integrate with governance programs: Link catalog data to compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA) for regulatory data mapping
- Monitor catalog adoption: Track registration volume, search frequency, and annotation quality as KPIs
Why Choose EPC Group for Data Governance
With 28+ years of enterprise data management consulting, EPC Group brings deep expertise in data governance, cataloging, and metadata management. Our consultants have implemented data catalog solutions for healthcare organizations mapping PHI data assets, financial institutions meeting regulatory data inventories, and government agencies establishing data governance frameworks.
We help organizations transition from Azure Data Catalog to Microsoft Purview, design comprehensive data governance programs, and implement self-service analytics capabilities that accelerate time-to-insight while maintaining compliance and data quality standards.
Ready to Catalog Your Enterprise Data?
Contact our data governance specialists for a free assessment of your data cataloging needs. We will evaluate your data landscape, recommend the optimal platform (Data Catalog or Purview), and deliver a governance implementation roadmap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Azure Data Catalog and Microsoft Purview?
Azure Data Catalog is a manually driven registration and discovery service. Microsoft Purview is its successor, offering automated scanning across 100+ data source types, AI-powered data classification, end-to-end data lineage tracking, and integration with Microsoft 365 compliance tools. Purview is the recommended platform for new data governance implementations.
Is Azure Data Catalog being deprecated?
Microsoft has positioned Microsoft Purview as the strategic successor to Azure Data Catalog. While Data Catalog remains available, Microsoft is investing in Purview for new features and capabilities. EPC Group recommends existing Data Catalog customers begin planning their migration to Purview to take advantage of automated scanning, classification, and lineage features.
Can Azure Data Catalog register on-premises data sources?
Yes. Azure Data Catalog can register on-premises data sources including SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, HDFS, and file shares. The registration process extracts metadata (schema, column names, data types) and stores it in the catalog without moving the actual data. Users still connect directly to the source system to query the data.
How does Data Catalog help with GDPR compliance?
Data Catalog supports GDPR compliance by enabling organizations to create a comprehensive inventory of data assets containing personal data. Business glossary terms can be linked to data assets to identify PII, and data stewards can be assigned to manage data subject requests. For more advanced GDPR capabilities including automated PII detection, consider Microsoft Purview.
Can business users contribute to the data catalog?
Yes. A key design principle of Azure Data Catalog is crowdsourced metadata enrichment. Any authorized user can add descriptions, tags, ratings, and documentation links to registered data assets. This collaborative approach ensures the catalog stays current and reflects practical knowledge from the people who actually work with the data, rather than relying solely on IT teams.