This is the seventh in a series of blogs which outline a vision of a Modern Data Platform, its components, and the benefits that can be realised from taking a holistic view of your data assets.
https://www.risual.com/2019/02/28/modern-data-platform-vision/
In this blog, I will expand further on the Documentation components of the Modern Data Platform. It is important to understand that although the components of the Modern Data Platform can be subdivided and thought of separately, they work together with the other components to deliver additional synergies for the organisation.
Common Source Control
Common Source Control (or version control) is the practice of tracking and managing changes to software code. Source control management systems provide a running history of code development and help to resolve conflicts when merging contributions from multiple sources.
The Modern Data Platform uses a Common Source Control component to capture and control all code on the platform, including;
- Platform components deployed as Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Standard Functions & Procedures
- Workflows
- Report Definitions
- Dashboards
- Data Models
- Analytical Models
- Standard SQL Queries
- Orchestration Definitions
It is described as “common”, as all software code for the Modern Data Platform shares a single repository. There is a single place to go to look at code for any of the components or technologies, and they are documented in a standard way.
The Modern Data Platform and its components are developed in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). For cloud deployments, maximum benefit can be obtained by using a software defined architecture; where the platform is defined as Infrastructure as Code (IaC). This way, multiple Modern Data Platform environments can be quickly deployed, tested and destroyed. This facilitates testing new software versions or patches, new configurations and new functions and processes. For on-premises or hybrid deployments, its scope is more limited, however the component still delivers crucial benefits for the control of code within the platform.
The Common Source Control component, together with the Data Catalogue allows the organisation to understand how their Modern Data Platform is defined and what it does. This plays a major part in increasing the control an organisation has of its platform and data, supporting best in class data management practices.
Would you like to know more?
Want to know more, or how a Modern Data Platform can be applied within your own organisation to bring back control of your data? Contact us on the link below.
