Unlocking the Power of Your Data with Azure Purview: A Comprehensive Overview

Microsoft Azure Purview

Microsoft Azure Purview is a cloud-based data management tool that allows businesses to discover, manage, and govern their data assets across the organization. With Purview, businesses can understand the lineage and provenance of their data, ensuring that their data is compliant, secure, and trustworthy.

Key Features of Azure Purview

1. Data Discovery- Data discovery is a critical feature of Azure Purview that allows you to discover all your data assets across your organization. It supports a wide range of data sources, including on-premises, cloud-based, and hybrid environments, making it easy for businesses to find and organize their data.

2. Data Catalog- The data catalog is another crucial feature of Purview that provides a central repository of all data assets. It allows users to easily search for and discover data assets, including data sets, tables, files, and other data-related objects. The catalog can also be used to apply business-specific metadata and tags to data assets, making it easier to find, access, and manage them.

3. Data Lineage- Data lineage provides a complete view of data movement across an organization's data landscape, including how data is acquired, transformed, and consumed. With Purview's data lineage feature, businesses can understand where data comes from and how it's used, making it easier to ensure data quality, regulatory compliance, and data security.

4. Data Governance- Data governance is a key feature of Purview that helps businesses ensure that their data is compliant, secure, and trustworthy. It includes tools for data classification, data protection, and access control, making it easier to manage data access and comply with data regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA.

5. Integration with Azure Services- Purview is designed to integrate with other Azure services, such as Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure Data Factory, making it easier to incorporate them into existing workflows. For example, Purview can be used to create a unified view of data across multiple sources, which can then be used to build data pipelines and analytics models.

6. Open APIs and Connectors- Azure Purview also provides a range of APIs and connectors, making it easy to integrate with third-party services and custom applications. This feature allows businesses to create their own custom workflows, applications, and solutions, using Purview's data management capabilities.

7. Data Profiling- Data profiling is a feature of Purview that allows businesses to understand the quality and characteristics of their data. With data profiling, businesses can identify data inconsistencies, duplicates, and anomalies, making it easier to improve data quality and ensure regulatory compliance.

8. Collaboration and Data Sharing- Purview includes collaboration features that make it easier for teams to work together on data projects. Users can share data assets, collaborate on metadata management, and work together on data lineage and governance. This feature allows businesses to work more efficiently, reduce duplication of effort, and streamline their data management processes.

9. Azure Purview Studio- Azure Purview Studio is a web-based interface that provides a visual representation of data lineage, making it easy for businesses to understand how data flows through their organization. The interface allows users to visualize relationships between data sources, data sets, and data transformations, making it easier to identify data quality issues and compliance risks.

10. Advanced Search and Discovery- Purview includes advanced search and discovery capabilities that allow users to search for data assets using natural language queries. The search engine supports fuzzy matching and synonym matching, making it easier to find relevant data assets even if the search query is imprecise. The search engine can also be used to search for data assets based on metadata attributes such as data type, format, and owner.

11. Data Map- Data Map is another feature of Purview that allows businesses to create a graphical representation of their data landscape. The data map shows how data flows through the organization, which data assets are related, and where data quality issues may arise. With Data Map, businesses can gain a holistic view of their data landscape, which can help them identify opportunities to optimize their data management processes.

How to set up a Purview account?

To set up a Purview account, follow these steps, 

1. Sign in to the Azure portal- Go to the Azure portal (https://portal.azure.com/) and sign in with your Azure account credentials.

2. Create a new Purview account- In the Azure portal, click "Create a resource" and search for "Purview". Select "Azure Purview" from the list of results, and then click "Create" to begin the account creation process.

3. Configure your account- In the "Basics" tab of the Purview account creation wizard, you'll need to provide basic information about your account, such as the subscription and resource group you want to use. You'll also need to choose a name for your account and select a region where your data will be stored.

4. Set up authentication- In the "Security + networking" tab of the Purview account creation wizard, you'll need to configure authentication settings for your account. You can use Azure Active Directory or a shared access signature (SAS) token for authentication.

5. Review and create your account- Once you've configured all the settings for your Purview account, review your settings and click "Create" to create your account. Once deployment is completed, you must go to resource and use the purview account.

6. Use Purview- Once your Purview account is created, you can use it to discover, manage, and govern your data assets.

Summary

Microsoft Azure Purview provides a comprehensive set of features that can help businesses discover, manage, and govern their data assets. These features include data discovery, data catalog, data lineage, data governance, integration with Azure services, and open APIs and connectors. By leveraging these features, businesses can ensure that their data is compliant, secure, and trustworthy and use their data assets to drive better insights and decision-making.