In addition to powering open data portals, the open source software known as CKAN—the Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network – is playing an increasing role in helping organisations with their internal data management. It is doing this principally through powering what are known as internal data management platforms. The following article will briefly examine this and how your organisation can maximise the benefits of CKAN to meet your internal data management needs.
An internal data management platform efficiently and securely gathers and stores the data assets an organisation has at its disposal in one central on-line location. It then enables these to be catalogued and managed over their life cycle, including sharing them with internal users and external collaborators and agencies, within a highly controlled and secure environment.
Government departments, corporations, universities and large not-for-profits can use internal data management platforms to solve the challenges arising from the expanding mass of data they collect; how to extract knowledge and benefit from this data to help inform business decisions and drive research or more evidence informed policy making, and to share it effectively and securely, internally and externally.
Features
A CKAN-based internal data management platform offers the following:
- Superior search functionality due to the use of advanced descriptive metadata and cataloguing features to organise and classify data assets.
- Ability to monitor data usage and metrics through the creation of real time reports and dashboards.
- Secure data sharing by configuring permission setting to control critical and sensitive internal data at the group or individual level.
- Easy migration of data between existing internal data portals and systems.
- Flexibility to scale up or extend functionality to meet the evolving needs of your organisation.
- Wide variety of extensions allows for easy customisation that can vastly increase CKAN’s out of the box functionality.
- Better visualisation and comprehension by enabling data to be presented using charts, graphs, infographics, videos and maps.
Benefits
In addition to being a powerful, flexible and secure approach to managing and sharing the complex movement of data across different parts of your organisation and with external collaborators, a CKAN-based internal data management system can offer the following benefits:
- No vendor lock-in and users have the freedom to modify, upgrade or tailor solutions without incurring substantial financial outlays.
- Substantial cost savings due to the absence of licensing fees, the software’s interoperability, easier integration and customisation, and reduced barriers to reuse.
- More efficient and streamlined approval procedures for data sharing can improve transparency and enable data custodians to discern and report on data usage patterns across your organisation and over time.
Security
Open source software like CKAN can be made highly secure. In addition to a core development team that works to ensure the software is continuously improved, CKAN is supported by a large and expanding user base. These users provide support, advice and resources to in-house developers, and oversee the regular release of security patches and updates to address vulnerabilities and improve overall security.
The security of a CKAN internal data management platform can be further enhanced by engaging a third-party service provider, such as Link Digital and the adoption of effective data governance and other best practices within the host organisation.
Are you ready to transform your internal data management?
Link Digital has extensive experience providing customised CKAN-powered internal data management platforms. If you want to know more, download our new ebook about internal data management with CKAN. Then get in contact and tell us about your project, and one of our data experts will be in touch.
