Data Catalog is a fully managed and scalable metadata management service. Data Catalog allows organizations to quickly discover, manage and understand all their data in Google Cloud.
What’s Changing with Data Catalog?
Think of Data Catalog as your library’s card catalog, helping you find and understand all the different data “books” you have. Dataplex Universal Catalog is like an upgraded, super-smart version of that card catalog, integrated into a larger system called Dataplex that helps manage all your data more effectively.
- The Old System is Retiring: The current Data Catalog service will eventually be turned off.
- The New System is Here: Dataplex Universal Catalog is its replacement. It offers enhanced capabilities for managing, governing, and discovering your data across your entire Google Cloud environment.
- Your Data Stays Safe: Don’t worry, your data itself isn’t moving. This is about how you find and organize information about your data (like descriptions, tags, and where it lives).
Good News Now: By the end of July 2025, any “tags” or “tag templates” you’ve created in Data Catalog will be available in both the old Data Catalog and the new Dataplex Universal Catalog. This makes the transition much smoother, as your existing labels will be ready in the new system.
Why Are We Doing This?
Moving to Dataplex Universal Catalog allows us to:
- Provide a Unified View: Get a single, consistent way to see and manage all your data, no matter where it lives (BigQuery, Cloud Storage, etc.).
- Improve Data Governance: Better tools for ensuring your data is used correctly and securely.
- Enhance Data Discovery: Make it even easier for your teams to find and understand the data they need, fostering better data utilization.
How Might This Affect You?
If your teams or applications rely on Data Catalog to:
- Find Data: Discover datasets, tables, or files.
- Understand Data: Read descriptions or see attached tags (like “sensitive,” “PII,” “finance”).
- Automate Processes: Use scripts or tools that interact with Data Catalog to manage metadata.
Then you will need to update those processes to work with Dataplex Universal Catalog instead of the old Data Catalog.
Simple Steps to Prepare for the Changes
To ensure a smooth transition and avoid any disruptions to your data discovery or governance workflows, here’s what you should do:
- Start Exploring Dataplex Universal Catalog:
- Familiarize yourself with the Dataplex Universal Catalog interface in the Google Cloud Console. You’ll find that your existing tags and tag templates are already there by the end of July 2025.
- Update Your Tools and Scripts:
- If you have any custom scripts, applications, or data pipelines that use the Data Catalog APIs to read or write metadata (like applying tags), you’ll need to update them to use the new Dataplex APIs instead.
- Inform Your Users:
- Let your team members who rely on Data Catalog know about the upcoming change and how they can start using Dataplex Universal Catalog for data discovery.
- Plan Your Full Migration:
- Think about any specific workflows or integrations you have with Data Catalog and plan how you will transition them entirely to Dataplex Universal Catalog before the old service is discontinued.
Timeline and Resources
The current Data Catalog service will be fully discontinued on January 30, 2026. This gives you ample time to plan and execute your migration.
For detailed documentation and guidance on working with Dataplex Universal Catalog, please refer to the official Google Cloud documentation:
If you have any questions or need assistance during this migration, please reach out to Google Cloud Support. We’re here to help you make the most of your data with Dataplex Universal Catalog.