Search Metadata in Purview Data Catalog with Best Practices

Microsoft Purview Data Catalog provides powerful search capabilities to locate metadata and understand data assets across your organization. Efficient metadata search enhances data discoverability and supports governance practices.

This guide outlines best practices for searching metadata in Purview Data Catalog, relevant to the DP-203 Data Engineer certification.

What is the Purview Data Catalog?

The Microsoft Purview Data Catalog is a centralized platform that allows users to search, classify, and manage metadata across various data sources. It empowers data discovery and governance by providing visibility into your data assets.

Key Features

• Search and Filter: Locate metadata using natural language search and advanced filtering options.
• Data Lineage Integration: Understand the lineage of data assets directly from search results.
• Custom Classifications: Tag assets with business-specific classifications for easier searchability.

Steps to Search Metadata in Purview

1. Access the Purview Data Catalog

• Navigate to your Purview account in the Azure portal and open the Data Catalog tab.
• Use the search bar to enter keywords related to the data asset you want to find.

2. Use Search Syntax and Filters

• Search Syntax:
  • Use exact phrases by enclosing terms in quotes, e.g., "customer data".
  • Use logical operators like AND, OR, and NOT for complex searches, e.g., sales AND revenue.
• Filters:
  • Apply filters to refine results, such as:
    • Data Source (e.g., Azure SQL Database, Data Lake).
    • Asset Type (e.g., table, file, pipeline).
    • Classification (e.g., sensitive data, PII).

3. Explore Search Results

• Click on a search result to view detailed metadata, including:
  • Data classifications.
  • Data lineage.
  • Linked business terms.
  • Owners and contacts for the asset.

Best Practices for Metadata Search

1. Define Consistent Naming Conventions

• Use standardized names for data assets to improve search accuracy.
• Include descriptive terms in asset names to make them easier to locate.

2. Use Custom Classifications

• Tag assets with business-relevant classifications to enhance discoverability.
• Example: Add tags like “Financial Data” or “Customer Data” for commonly searched terms.

3. Leverage Search Filters

• Use filters to narrow down results quickly.
• Save frequent searches using the Save Search feature for easier access.

4. Regularly Update Metadata

• Ensure metadata is up-to-date to reflect changes in data sources or structures.
• Automate metadata ingestion using Purview connectors or APIs.

Advanced Search Techniques

1. Search by Glossary Terms

• Link data assets to business glossary terms and search using these terms for better context.

2. Search with Data Lineage

• Use the lineage graph to identify related assets and dependencies.
• Example: Find all downstream reports impacted by changes to a source table.

3. Programmatic Search with APIs

• Use the Purview REST API for automated metadata search.
• Example: Search metadata using Python:

import requests

url = "https://<purview_account>.catalog.purview.azure.com/catalog/api/search/query"
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <access_token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}
search_query = {
    "keywords": "customer",
    "filter": {
        "and": [
            {"attributeName": "typeName", "operator": "eq", "attributeValue": "Table"},
            {"attributeName": "classification", "operator": "contains", "attributeValue": "PII"}
        ]
    }
}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=search_query)
print(response.json())

Common Use Cases

1. Finding Sensitive Data

• Search for assets classified as sensitive or containing PII.
• Use filters to identify relevant data sources or tables.

2. Data Lineage Analysis

• Locate data assets with lineage graphs to analyze upstream and downstream impacts.

3. Data Discovery for Projects

• Use metadata search to find datasets for specific projects or analytics use cases.

Conclusion

Efficient metadata search in Microsoft Purview Data Catalog simplifies data discovery and governance. By following the best practices outlined in this guide, you can enhance your organization’s ability to locate, manage, and utilize data effectively.

Learn more about Microsoft Purview Data Catalog in the official Microsoft documentation.