Data discovery is the process of identifying, locating, and classifying data within an organization’s IT environment. The goal of data discovery is to provide visibility into an organization’s data landscape, enabling effective management of data, as well as meeting compliance and regulatory requirements.
Data discovery tools can help organizations identify where sensitive data resides, track data movement, and classify data based on sensitivity. This information can be used to ensure that sensitive data is being protected and handled appropriately.
The history of data discovery dates back to the early 2000s, when data growth was beginning to explode, and organizations were struggling to keep up. Data discovery tools were developed to help organizations locate data that was not properly protected, and to identify areas where data storage and processing inefficiencies could be addressed. Since then, data discovery has become an essential component of data security and management.
Today, data discovery is a critical element of an organization’s data security and compliance strategy. With the rise of data breaches and increased scrutiny on data privacy, organizations are under pressure to ensure that they are effectively managing their data. Data discovery tools can help organizations identify where sensitive data resides, and ensure that it is being properly protected.