By Sharad Varshney
In the modern data era, departments no longer endeavor to ringfence data assets. Instead, companies and users alike have recognized the power of collaboration.
When organizations face the degree of competition that defines the contemporary business landscape, they must use everything in their arsenal to contend. Today, data is the backbone of innovation, but combined intelligence is the strategy for success. That’s why data sharing has become essential in progressive data-centric discussions.
Data access management explained
A comprehensive data access management strategy is one of the most effective ways to facilitate data sharing, but what is it?
Access management is about providing users with access to data assets when they need it, and it’s about ensuring this access is fast, easy, and, most importantly, secure. When organizations deploy a well-structured data access management plan, all the data from every part of an organization is made available to every user. Only PII, confidential, and sensitive data is prohibited with restricted access.
So, what does a data access management strategy look like?
Access management techniques
A comprehensive access management strategy should cover three core areas: compliance, centralization, and self-service, and the best way to roll it out is through an automated data catalog. As with all aspects of data governance, compliance is one of the most important considerations.
Data protection laws state that companies must protect PII and other customer data. The trouble is, if you want to share information across an organization, there is a danger that this potentially damaging data will be accessed by users that don’t have the credentials to do so.
By classifying data assets, you can flag which falls under which categories and restrict access to certain information by masking it. If a permit is required, you can set up a system of ad hoc workflows that facilitate specific data access requests. Furthermore, encryption techniques can add another layer of security.
Another critical element to access management, and data sharing, is centralization. A data catalog effectively draws in all your data from your sources so users can access it in a single space.
Collating data in this way removes the requirement to search individual data sources, saving a great deal of time. Various departments and teams may store data differently, and a centralized mechanism negates this stumbling block.
Finally, making access an independent function through self-service enables users to share data more efficiently and when required. Without self-service, users must go through numerous channels, such as data teams, owners, and stewards, to achieve a result they can complete in a couple of clicks.
Wrap up
Data sharing through access management isn’t the only technique, but it is arguably the most comprehensive. As well as making the process simple, it supports an organization’s compliance efforts, a critical concern for every organization dealing with third-party data.
About the Author
Sharad Varshney is the CEO and founder of OvalEdge, a data catalog, and data governance tool. He has founded OvalEdge to blend his unique experience in big data technology and process management into creating data management products. He has a Nuclear Engineering degree from IIT, the premier institute of technology in India. He can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadvarshney