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Data lineage: 3 tools to empower your business

by Casey Schmidt  |  May 8, 2021

3 min. read
A computer with data on it.

Data lineage tools play a central role in establishing data pipelines, giving organizations the ability to improve the functionality of their systems. The importance of data manipulation cannot be underestimated. Data lineage tools track and organize data as it transforms at each interaction, and in every repository space.

In a business world bulging with big data, ensuring data is structured, monitored and tracked has huge implications for efficiency.

What is data lineage?

Data lineage offers a dataset’s complete history and eventual life journey. Tracking how data progresses as it interacts with other sets creates a lifecycle of information. The best way to learn about a piece of information’s lifecycle is to fully understand how to read and understand a data lineage.

Data lineage follows datasets from the beginning of a journey and tracks the developments of data. Good lineage maps every dataset interaction, giving organizations the ability to visualize data movements end-to-end. The correct data lineage tool analyzes changes at each interaction.

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the ways to better manage data lineage. Here are three of the best lineage tools.

 

1. Octopai

Octopai's interface.

Octopai automates the tracking and monitoring of data lineage. It helps remove manual data mapping and boosts visibility. Octopai is a cloud-based, non-disruptive lineage tool for your entire organization.

It cuts down on team-training and heavy installations, because it’s a tool that enables better monitoring of regulatory data. Octopai is optimal software for those looking for a simple-to-use lineage system that centralizes data for you.

Octopai offers:

  • Unrivaled accuracy from competitors
  • Effortless compliance with data regulations
  • The elimination of manual maps in favor of automation

Octopai pushes automation even further with its specialized metadata analysis. Metadata provides information about other datasets and records movements. Octopai removes the need for cross-department data searching – through automation and discovery.

2. ASG

The ASG system.

Regardless of your business sector, data accuracy and compliance is crucial for operations. ASG tackles the need for data lineage control head-on with excellent inventory tools and rounded data governance. Although ASG wasn’t created as a data tool, it makes the list due to its precision at handling complex data while providing superior metadata management.

ASG offers:

  • Automated inventory for full compliance and agile processes
  • Metadata management tools with extensive customization options
  • ETL data integrations to establish a single data warehouse

ASG delivers precise data representation that complies with data regulation and deepens governance. ETL integrations extract, transform and load data from multiple sources. ETL also consolidates information to strengthen data lineage. ASG has the ability to impart complex data knowledge in a simplified manner across a team or department.

3. Trifacta

Trifacta's interface.

Trifacta’s list of clients is a testament to the diverse capabilities of the data lineage software it provides. This software system promises to deliver well-structured data for the task at hand. Trifacta is a versatile data system capable of manipulating a wide-range of variously sized data.

Trifacta offers:

  • Self-service data preparation to accelerate report and analytics
  • Interactive and visual representations of datasets
  • Advanced data protection and predictive data transformation

Trifecta turns raw data into prepared outputs that are easily analyzed. Machine learning removes bottlenecks of information, allowing you to untangle data and utilize key information within your organization. Good data lineage relates to an organization’s ability to identify datasets and Trifacta does this well.

Closing thoughts

The correct data lineage tool is critical to an organization’s success. Assess and understand the distinctions between these tools and decide which system will best optimize your organization’s data lineage.