Fighting Zombie Data:
In today’s data-driven world, organizations are constantly accumulating vast amounts of data. However, not all data is created equal, and just like in a zombie apocalypse, there are data that can come back to haunt you if not properly managed. These “zombie data” are data that are outdated, irrelevant, or inaccurate but still lurking around in your systems, consuming valuable resources and posing risks to your organization. Here we’ll discuss the software tools and skills needed to combat zombie data and ensure a healthy data ecosystem.
Identifying Zombie Data
Before you can effectively fight zombie data, you need to identify it. Zombie data can take various forms, including outdated records, duplicate entries, or information that’s no longer relevant to your organization’s goals. To spot these data zombies, you can use the following tools and techniques:
Data Profiling Tools: Tools like Information Builders OMNI, Talend, or Informatica to name a few can help you profile your data and uncover anomalies, inconsistencies, and outdated records.
Data Quality Management Software: Platforms like Information Builders OMNI, Trifacta, Talend Data Quality, and Informatica Data Quality provide features for data cleansing and data quality assessment, making it easier to identify zombie data.
Data Catalogs: Implementing data catalogs like Collibra or Alation can help you keep track of your data assets and their metadata, making it easier to identify outdated or irrelevant information.
Trusted Partners: Having experienced data experts aligned with your business needs can be invaluable. Seamless Integration Group has the necessary tools/knowledge you will need.
Cleaning Zombie Data
Once you’ve identified zombie data, it’s time to clean it up. Data cleaning involves removing, updating, or archiving data that no longer serves a purpose. The following tools and skills are essential for this task:
Data Cleaning Tools: Tools like Information Builders OMNI, and Python libraries like pandas offer functionalities to clean and transform data, including removing duplicates, correcting errors, and standardizing formats.
Data Governance: Establishing data governance policies and frameworks within your organization ensures that data is properly managed, archived, and deleted when necessary.
Data Transformation Skills: Data engineers and analysts should have skills in data transformation to clean, reformat, and reshape data as needed. Seamless Integration Group has over 40 years of combined experience in data integration techniques.
Preventing Zombie Data
Preventing the rise of new zombie data is as important as cleaning up the existing ones. Here are some tools and skills to prevent the creation of zombie data:
Master Data Management (MDM) Tools: MDM solutions such as Information Builders OMNI , Informatica MDM or SAP Master Data Governance help in creating a single, authoritative source of truth for critical data elements.
Fighting zombie data is crucial for maintaining a healthy and efficient data environment within your organization. By using the right software tools and developing the necessary skills, you can identify, clean, and prevent zombie data from wreaking havoc on your data ecosystem. Remember that data management is an ongoing process, and staying vigilant against zombie data is key to ensuring the success of your data-driven initiatives. So, arm yourself with the right tools and skills, and be prepared to face the data apocalypse head-on!
