Metadata definition, meaning, example, and types
Metadata
Metadata is the data about data. Metadata is data that describes the other data. Mata data is not actual data. Metadata explains the attributes of the file, video, web page, and database, etc.
Examples of Metadata
A card file in a library of a university that contains information about a book. Metadata isn’t the book itself. You can learn a lot about a book by examining its card file. A card file has different information about books like book title, author name, price, and publisher, etc. But the card file is not enough and you have to open the book to read it.
Metadata compresses basic information about data, which can make it easier to understand the specific elements of data. Metadata is usually used for graphics, videos, spreadsheets, documents and web pages. The use of metadata for web pages can be very crucial. Metadata for web pages contain explanations’ of contents, as well as detailed about all keywords linked to the content
Metadata can be formed manually, or by a particular process called automated information processing. The manual creation of Metadata to be more accurate because it allowing the user to give any information they feel is related or needed to help define the file. Automated metadata creation can be much more fundamental, usually only show information such as file extension, file size, when the file was created and who created the file.
Types of Metadata
Metadata has different types and is used for different purposes. The types of Metadata are as follows
Descriptive
This type of Metadata describes properties such as date, author, title, subject, genre, etc.
Preservation
This type of metadata is used in navigation. For example, it includes preservation metadata properties include an item’s place in a hierarchy or sequence
Markup languages
This includes metadata used for navigation and interoperability. The Properties should be including heading, name, date, list, and paragraph.
Rights
This kind of metadata might include the right holder, copyright status, rights holder, or license terms, etc.
Technical
These metadata properties include file name, file types, file size, creation date and time, and type of compression. Technical metadata is often used for digital object interoperability and management.
Advantages of metadata
1. Security of data
The centralized metadata repository provides more security of the data, the user can perform multiple tasks very easily… This contains reports, dashboards, and configurations .All the files ND folders is place with security key and only viewable by the desired business users.
2. Efficient Management
A centralized metadata means all data can be stored and found in one place. This one place provide a one source and allows for the retrieving of multiple sources together to be check in one spot. All the data gathered from different sources cannot analyze, this data is linked with each other through Meta data for batter. Centralized metadata also facilitate analyzing. The maintenance and administration of that environment is very easy. Everything is used as an object which provides flexibility and almost capabilities controlling every aspect of the metadata.
3. Scalability and Reusability
Once a metadata object is created, it can many times. The metadata is centralized, it becomes the single source. All the data is treated as an object. Different departments can use metadata objects that the data will match with what other departments have.
- Cost and Time
When you save time, you save lots of money automatically. When metadata is centralized it needs less time and effort to manage. Maintenance takes less time and cost. Centralized data reduces the problems of dealing with an inaccurate analysis that requires time and effort to track down and resolve.