Drawing from my professional experience within data-centric roles, I've engaged with a variety of data governance platforms. Among these, one solution stands out for its integrated approach to comprehensive data governance: Microsoft Purview. I aim to explore how Microsoft Purview leverages artificial intelligence to facilitate automated data governance, specifically in achieving compliance and ensuring the future readiness of data environments.
Why is data governance important?
Any organisation that handles large volumes of raw or processed data needs to implement various data governance policies.
Consider the various regulatory frameworks that exist: GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, POPIA. Organisations that fail to comply with data privacy regulations or data security laws find themselves in hot water with expensive fines. Even if regulatory procedures do not exist across industries (yet), there are data silos, inefficient operational efforts, fields filled with disparate data, or worse, analysts who sit on millions of records for years before they can become correctly distributed. Improper decision-making occurs from ineffective protocols and drives in the governance of data.
Introducing Microsoft Purview for a comprehensive data governance solution
That's where Microsoft Purview comes into play with a comprehensive solution. Microsoft Purview lets organisations manage and protect their data with a fully integrated solution across on-prem, multi-cloud, and SaaS environments. Unified data discovery, effortless classification, and lineage tracking across a single pane of glass promote management and awareness of any available or ongoing data estate.
AI-powered data classification
One of the key AI capabilities of Microsoft Purview is its advanced data classification. Using machine learning algorithms, Purview can automatically classify data based on its content and context. This is particularly useful for identifying sensitive information such as personal data, financial records, and intellectual property.
The AI-powered classifiers in Purview are pre-trained on vast categories of business data and Microsoft domain-specific knowledge. They can detect sensitive content with high accuracy, ensuring that your data is properly classified and protected [1]. This automated classification helps organisations maintain compliance with data protection regulations and reduces the risk of data breaches.
Automating data lineage tracking
Understanding the flow of data within an organisation is essential for effective data governance. Microsoft Purview's AI capabilities extend to data lineage tracking, which provides a visual representation of how data moves through various systems and processes.
By automating data lineage tracking, Purview helps organisations gain insights into data transformations, dependencies, and usage patterns. This visibility is crucial for identifying potential data quality issues, ensuring data integrity, and supporting audit and compliance efforts.
Enhancing data discovery and cataloguing
Data discovery and cataloguing are fundamental components of data governance. Microsoft Purview uses AI to enhance these processes by automatically scanning and cataloguing data assets across your entire data estate. This includes structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data stored in various locations.
The AI-driven data discovery capabilities of Purview enable organisations to quickly locate and understand their data assets. This not only improves data accessibility but also supports data democratisation, allowing users across the organisation to find and use data more effectively.
Ensuring continuous compliance
Staying compliant with ever-evolving data protection regulations is a significant challenge for all organisations. Microsoft Purview addresses this challenge by providing continuous compliance monitoring and reporting. Its AI capabilities enable real-time assessment of compliance status, identifying potential risks and non-compliance issues before they become critical. This proactive approach to compliance helps organisations avoid regulatory penalties and maintain trust with customers and stakeholders.
Future-proofing your data estate
Microsoft Purview's AI capabilities offer a powerful solution for automating data governance. By leveraging machine learning for data classification, lineage tracking, discovery, and compliance monitoring, Purview helps organisations stay compliant and future-proof their data estates. [2]
Embracing Microsoft Purview means embracing a future where data governance is not just a necessity but a strategic advantage.
If your organisation is ready to turn automated, AI-driven data governance into your strategic advantage, we are here to assist in the following areas:
Assess your current data estate and governance maturity
Design a tailored Microsoft Purview implementation plan
Deploy integrated classification, lineage, cataloguing, and compliance workflows
Enable your team through hands-on training and change management
Contact us at sales@keyrus.co.za to schedule your complimentary Purview readiness workshop and start future-proofing your data estate.
References
[1] AI-powered Data Classification | Microsoft Purview
[2] New AI-powered Microsoft Purview features | Microsoft Security Blog