Introducing Data Fabric

Data Fabric is a distributed data architecture that connects scattered data across tools and systems with the objective of providing governed access to fit-for-purpose data at speed. Data Fabric focuses on Data Governance, Data Integration, and Self-Service data sharing. It leverages a sophisticated active metadata layer that captures knowledge derived from data and its operations, data relationships, and business context. Data Fabric continuously analyzes data management activities to recommend value-driven improvements. Data Fabric works with both centralized and decentralized data systems and supports diverse operational models. This book focuses on Data Fabric and describes its data management approach, differentiating design, and emphasis on automated Data Governance.

In this chapter, we’ll focus on understanding the definition of Data Fabric and why it’s important, as well as introducing its building blocks. By the end of this chapter, you’ll have an understanding of what a Data Fabric design is and why it’s essential.

In this chapter, we’ll cover the following topics:

• What is Data Fabric?
• Why is Data Fabric important?
• Data Fabric building blocks
• Operational Data Governance models

Note

The views expressed in the book belong to the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of their employer, IBM.