What is our primary use case?
The main use case for our organization was to collect and collate information for our business users, such as definitions, business rules, etc.
The customers' names were stored in a data warehouse on Oracle, and with this product, you could insert information related to the customer. You could use Excel, for example, to add in data. You'd have all the information you collected from other places on one tool that users could navigate across to see all of the information.
How has it helped my organization?
One of the projects that we had with a client, was to collect and add all the information related to the HR functions. We collected technical information and data quality checks and so on. We inserted this information into Collibra. Once we did that, the user could enter in and read the collected information. That way, they didn't have to go to IT to pull queries for them. They were empowered to do it themselves. This solution basically reduced the search time. They no longer had to go to IT to open a ticket, or to go to an external supplier to recreate some already captured information.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very user-friendly, especially in comparison to other tools.
Even a business user, which no technical competencies can manage this product rather easily.
There are great workflows and other features that really simplify various aspects of the product.
The log information is easy to navigate.
The customization and the dashboards are pretty good.
What needs improvement?
Collibra, as far as I know, does not have a connector like Oracle, or a mainframe. It's important to have a connector so that you have access to up-to-date information. Sometimes the data can be out-of-date as the updates are not automatic. Users could be looking at obsolete information.
You need to be precise about the names of the field and you have to develop them yourself.
It's my understanding that they are working on a solution where you can import all the information that you need from a data validation too, or from a CRM. It's something they really need to get better at.
It would be better if there was a way to import all data and metadata in an automatic way in one block form.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability was very good. We never struggled with any downtime at all.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I'm not sure if the solution is scalable. I never really tested it. We only really handled a few areas of the data log analysis. For three functional areas it seemed to be pretty good, however, I couldn't say for sure if that would be the case if there was six or ten functional areas.
How are customer service and support?
I've been in touch with technical support in the past and I found them to be quite helpful and knowledgeable. I've been satisfied with the assistance I've received.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Informatica as a data governance solution.
Informatica is better from a technical point of view. For example, in Informatica, you can buy these connectors which are very complete. You can import a lot of information from tables, names, matrices, and so on, from, for example, Data Visualization Tool, from Qlik, Tableau, from everything. You do not have to write code either in order to develop an API or to upgrade connectors by yourself. In Collibra, there are connectors, however, you have to upgrade them, if you, for example, need more information, more metadata, and so on. It's just not as easy. Informatica is more mature from a technical point of view. You get a complete data lineage and can see the data life cycle of all of your metadata.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not so complex. It was pretty straightforward. Collibra has, for example, workflows and other features that help you to import information. It's all very simple to understand and to use. You sort-of knew what to do from the outset and setting everything up was pretty easy as you just followed along.
The deployment doesn't take long. It's a matter of days or maybe weeks. It certainly doesn't take months.
I started the initial phase with the development of all the information. We got the metadata that we needed from the business user. Then we added the information to the data model. The data model related to Collibra was done by the Collibra administrator. We added this information to the data model. After that, we deployed everything by exporting metadata that we inserted into an Excel format, and then we deployed this information to the production environment by loading the Excel details into the new environment.
I was never the administrator of the solution, and therefore, I don't know too much about ongoing maintenance and what might be involved with that. I do not believe there to be a lot of technical maintenance needed.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the deployment myself. I didn't need the assistance of an integrator or consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you compare the solution to Informatica, it is much cheaper.
The licensing for this product is on a yearly basis and you have to pay for the type of users that access the platform. For example, if you want to have a user in read access mode, you don't have to pay for them.
However, if you want a write access user, for example, to insert information, to upload data, and so on, you have to pay for that license. Therefore there are two main charges. You have the license cost of the tool and the cost of the users that have write access. Beyond that, it's my understanding that there are no other costs.
What other advice do I have?
We're just customers. We're end-users of the product.
If a company wants to implement a solution more focused on the business aspects, this solution works well. However, if a company needs to, for example, have a solution that covers a 360 overview of a data governance implementation or a project where you have to collect business information, and also need to connect that business information to technical information, to create a data lineage and so on, there are other solutions that cover this part better. That said, Collibra is really user-friendly. It's really easy to use. For a non-technical business user, it's easy to access, to navigate information, and so on. Typically business users don't want to have an interface or don't want to use technical tools, so a company should be mindful of that.
Overall, I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
*Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
