Passive metadata is the descriptive information about your data assets, like table names, column types, and ownership details. It may not update in real time, but it's essential for data observability because it provides the structural foundation for cataloging, governance, and lineage tracking. With Sifflet, this metadata powers everything from asset discovery to root cause analysis.

Shippeo tracks critical operational data like order volume, GPS positions, and platform activity. With Sifflet, they monitor ingestion latency and data freshness to ensure that metrics powering dashboards and customer reports are always up to date.

They’ve implemented a full enablement program with starter kits, trainings, and office hours to build data literacy and trust. Observability tools are just one part of the equation; the real focus is on enabling confident, autonomous decision-making across the organization.

Shifting to fire prevention means proactively addressing data health issues before they impact users. By leveraging data lineage and observability tools, teams can perform impact assessments, monitor data quality, and implement preventive strategies that reduce downtime and improve SLA compliance.

Modern platforms like Snowflake and Amazon S3 expose rich metadata and access patterns that observability tools can monitor. For example, Sifflet integrates with Snowflake to track schema changes, data freshness, and query patterns, while S3 integration enables us to monitor ingestion latency and file structure changes. These capabilities are key for real-time metrics and data quality monitoring.

AI has definitely raised the stakes. As Salma shared on the Joe Reis Show, executives are being asked to 'do AI,' but many still struggle with broken pipelines. That’s why data quality monitoring and robust data observability are now seen as prerequisites for scaling AI initiatives effectively.

Great question! At Sifflet, we believe data observability is about operationalizing trust, not just catching issues. It’s the foundation for reliable data pipelines, helping teams ensure data quality, track lineage, and resolve incidents quickly so business decisions are always based on trustworthy data.

Data observability plays a key role in data governance by helping teams maintain accurate documentation, monitor data flows, and quickly detect anomalies. This proactive monitoring ensures that your data stays compliant with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, reducing the risk of costly fines and audits.