Data Fabric - What's in a name ?

In Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare famously wrote "What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet". The meaning behind this famous line is that a name is just a convention and label that we put on things but there's not much meaning behind it. For those of us in the technology world, keeping up with all of the different fancy names that analysts give to stuff can be quite challenging. Specifically in the world of #datamanagement over the past few years, terms like #datalake, #datalakehouse, #datamesh, and #datafabric have gained popularity. If we're not careful, we can get lost in names and acronyms that some analyst came up with and lose sight of the actual problems we're trying to solve and solutions that we are looking to deliver.

The #datafabric is one name in particular that caught my attention as I was trying to put meaning behind what it actually represented. A #datafabric is a #dataarchitecture that serves as an integrated layer of secure data access and delivery mechanisms. What did a fabric or piece of cloth have to do with #dataarchitecture? I gotta admit, the first time I heard the term, I rolled my eyes because it didn't make much sense and I figured some analyst somewhere was getting paid by the buzzword and came up with this doozy! However, as I considered the different definitions of the word “fabric”, it seemed to perfectly describe this architectural pattern. In one sense, “fabric” can mean “cloth or other material produced by knitting”. In another, “fabric” can mean “the essential structure of something.” Both definitions can be used to understand the #datafabric and its role in driving #digitaltransformation.

Consider the first definition of “fabric” as a piece of cloth produced by knitting. Now, think of a multicolored piece of fabric with intricate designs, from which one may make a beautiful dress. Consider also the various reels of thread of different colors that would have to have been stitched together to create that fabric. Metaphorically, the individual reels of thread are like the disparate sources of data throughout an organization. Just like reels of thread can be stitched together to make a beautiful fabric, disparate sources of data throughout an organization can be integrated and brought together, thus revealing beautiful insights into a company’s prospects for growth.

Now let’s consider the second definition of “fabric” as the essential structure of something. By serving as the central means of integrating, managing, and delivering data to enable data-driven business transformation, a #datafabric serves as an essential structure for businesses that rely on data to transform their business processes and to identify opportunities for growth.

For more on understanding the #datafabric, check out this blog post that I wrote for DataVirtualizationBlog.com.

-CW