When we hear “data” and “observability” mentioned together, we can readily assume that the point is to monitor your data proactively. But what is the purpose of data observability in an enterprise? Should this monitoring happen in real-time or at regular intervals? To what extent can we automate it? Can it feed our analysis with something more than revealing current data quality issues?

To answer all these questions, let’s start with the definition of data observability and dive into how it differs from other pillars of data management.