Data Classification enhances data governance by helping data stewards and data consumers understand the types of data available and where it is located. Assigning a data class, such as name or phone number, to Column assets adds context to the data and connects it to other nodes in the data knowledge graph.
Data Classification at Collibra
Collibra Data Classification is available in the following ways:
- In the Collibra user interface, through the Unified Data Classification method.
- Through Unified Data Classification REST APIs:
- Data Class Management REST API v1: Manage data classes.
- Data Class Import REST API v1: Import out-of-the-box data classes.
- Catalog Data Classification REST API v2: Start the classification process and search for and manage the associations between a data class and a data category.
- Catalog Data Classification REST API v1 (partially deprecated): Assign data classes to assets, import existing data classifications, and more.
Note Only the ClassificationMatches endpoints remain valid.
Tip Data classification is only the first step to better understanding your data. The next step is to identify columns that contain specific data categories, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI). Connecting data to data categories allows data consumers to identify, for example, columns containing sensitive information.
Collibra provides an automated data category association tool, available with Guided Stewardship. This tool automatically creates a relation between a Column asset and a Data Category asset based on the classification of the column. For more information, go to Automatically associating assets with Data Categories.
View data classification for a column
After a column is classified, data consumers can view the data classification on Table and Column asset pages. It is also available in asset views where the Data Classification column has been added. On a Column asset page, the data classification for the column is shown in the At a glance sidebar. If the At a glance sidebar is hidden, click 
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Related topics
- About the Data Classes page
- About the Data Categories page
- About automatically associating assets with Data Categories via Data Classification
- About Stewardship
Helpful resources
Follow the Unified Data Classification elearning on Collibra University.