Data Steward’s Shift: Rimage from Optical Disk Publishing to Data Lifecycle Management
From Optical Disk Publishing to Data Lifecycle Management
Introduction: The role of a data steward has evolved significantly over the past few decades. In the past, data stewards were primarily responsible for managing data on optical disks for publishing purposes. However, with the advent of digital data and the increasing importance of data management, data stewards have shifted their focus to data lifecycle management. In this article, we will explore the transformation of the data steward role and the key responsibilities involved in data lifecycle management.
Optical Disk Publishing: In the past, data stewards played a crucial role in managing data for optical disk publishing. This involved ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and consistency before it was published on disks. Data stewards were responsible for cleaning and transforming data, creating metadata, and ensuring that data was properly formatted for publishing. They also played a role in managing the physical disks, ensuring that they were properly labeled, stored, and distributed.
Data Lifecycle Management: With the shift to digital data, the role of data stewards has expanded to include data lifecycle management. Data lifecycle management involves managing data from its creation to its retirement. This includes data acquisition, data validation, data transformation, data integration, data security, data archiving, and data disposal.
Data Acquisition: Data acquisition involves collecting data from various sources, including internal systems, external sources, and third-party vendors. Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that data is collected in a timely and accurate manner. They also play a role in defining data quality standards and ensuring that data meets those standards before it is loaded into the data warehouse.
Data Validation: Data validation involves ensuring that data is accurate, complete, and consistent. Data stewards use various techniques to validate data, including data profiling, data matching, and data cleansing. They also play a role in defining data quality rules and ensuring that data meets those rules.
Data Transformation: Data transformation involves converting data from one format to another or from one system to another. Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that data is properly transformed and that the transformation does not introduce errors or inconsistencies. They also play a role in defining data mapping rules and ensuring that data is properly mapped between systems.
Data Integration: Data integration involves combining data from multiple sources into a single view. Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that data is properly integrated and that there are no inconsistencies or duplicates. They also play a role in defining data integration rules and ensuring that data is properly synchronized between systems.
Data Security: Data security involves protecting data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Data stewards are responsible for implementing data security policies and procedures, including access controls, encryption, and data masking. They also play a role in defining data security standards and ensuring that data meets those standards.
Data Archiving: Data archiving involves storing data in a long-term storage solution for future use. Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that data is properly archived and that it can be retrieved when needed. They also play a role in defining data retention policies and ensuring that data is properly disposed of when it is no longer needed.
Data Disposal: Data disposal involves securely disposing of data that is no longer needed. Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that data is properly disposed of in accordance with data disposal policies and regulations. They also play a role in defining data disposal procedures and ensuring that data is properly sanitized before disposal.
Conclusion: The role of a data steward has evolved significantly over the past few decades, from managing data on optical disks for publishing purposes to managing data throughout its entire lifecycle. Data stewards play a crucial role in ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and consistency, as well as implementing data security policies and procedures. As data continues to grow in volume and complexity, the importance of data stewards and their role in data lifecycle management will only continue to grow.