Apache Atlas

Open-source data governance and metadata management platform with comprehensive lineage tracking and enterprise search capabilities

Open-source data governance platform with Hadoop ecosystem integration and REST API access

Tool Overview

Open Source

Free Apache Foundation project with community support and unlimited customization

Hadoop Native

Built specifically for big data environments with deep Hadoop ecosystem integration

Enterprise Search

Advanced metadata search and discovery with classification and lineage visualization

Platform Capabilities

500+
Global Deployments
30+
Connector Types
100M+
Assets Cataloged
Free
Apache License

Key Strengths

  • No Licensing Costs: Complete open-source solution with Apache Foundation backing
  • Hadoop Ecosystem: Native integration with HDFS, Hive, Spark, and Kafka
  • Flexible Metadata Model: Extensible type system for custom business glossaries
  • REST API: Comprehensive programmatic access for integrations
  • Automatic Lineage: Built-in data lineage tracking for supported systems

Limitations & Considerations

  • Technical Complexity: Requires significant technical expertise for setup and maintenance
  • Limited UI: Basic web interface compared to commercial alternatives
  • Enterprise Support: Community support only unless partnering with vendors
  • Cloud Integration: Limited native cloud platform connectors
  • Performance Scaling: Can require tuning for large-scale enterprise deployments

Pricing Structure

Apache Atlas Open Source
Full platform with community support
FREE
Commercial Support
Enterprise support from vendors like Cloudera/Hortonworks
$50-200K/year
Managed Cloud Services
Atlas as a service from cloud providers
Variable
Note: Implementation and consulting services typically range from $100K-500K depending on complexity and scale.

Enterprise Ecosystem Integration

ERP System Compatibility

ERP System Integration
SAP HANA JDBC
Oracle ERP Cloud Hooks
Microsoft Dynamics REST
Workday API
Custom ERPs Flexible

Complex Ecosystem Support

Platform Type Support
Multi-Cloud Native
Legacy Systems RDBMS
BI Platforms Import
Security Tools Ranger
Real-time Streaming Kafka

Industry-Specific Use Cases

Financial Services

Trading Data: High-frequency trading data lineage and governance
Risk Models: Model data cataloging for Basel III compliance
Customer Analytics: 360-degree customer data discovery and lineage

Manufacturing

Supply Chain: End-to-end traceability from ERP to IoT sensor data
Quality Control: Manufacturing data governance across plant systems
IoT Integration: Sensor data cataloging and real-time monitoring

Healthcare

Clinical Trials: Research data governance and HIPAA compliance
Patient Data: EMR data lineage and privacy governance
Drug Discovery: Research data cataloging and compliance tracking

Government

Citizen Services: Citizen identity management and benefits administration data tracking
Regulatory Reporting: Government compliance data lineage and audit trail management
Public Records: Public information governance and data classification frameworks

Technology & SaaS

User Analytics: Click-stream data governance and behavioral analytics lineage tracking
Content Management: Digital asset cataloging and content rights management workflows
A/B Testing: Experiment data tracking and version control for feature rollouts

Manufacturing

IoT Sensors: Industrial sensor data lineage and predictive maintenance workflows
Quality Control: Production quality data governance and defect tracking systems
Supply Chain: Vendor data cataloging and logistics optimization data flows

Energy & Utilities

Grid Operations: SCADA data lineage and operational decision support systems
Smart Meters: Meter data governance and billing accuracy validation workflows
Asset Management: Infrastructure data cataloging and maintenance optimization programs

Enterprise Customer Success Stories

JPMorgan Chase

Global bank leveraging Atlas for data lineage across trading systems and risk analytics platforms, ensuring regulatory compliance

Result: Enhanced risk data transparency

Verizon

Telecommunications leader using Atlas for network data governance and customer analytics across BSS/OSS systems

Result: Unified network data catalog

Target

Retail giant implementing Atlas for supply chain data governance and customer behavior analytics across omnichannel systems

Result: Improved inventory optimization

LinkedIn

Professional network using Atlas for member data governance and recommendation system data lineage across Hadoop ecosystem

Result: Enhanced data discovery for ML teams

Netflix

Streaming giant leveraging Atlas for content metadata management and viewer analytics data governance across global infrastructure

Result: Streamlined content data operations

Implementation Timeline

1

Infrastructure Setup (Months 1-2)

Hadoop cluster provisioning, Atlas installation, and basic security configuration

2

Data Source Integration (Months 2-4)

Configure connectors for Hive, HBase, Kafka, and external systems

3

Custom Type Development (Months 4-6)

Develop business glossary and custom metadata models

4

User Training & Rollout (Months 6-8)

User training, API integration, and phased organizational deployment

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