Built-In Plugins
Overview
The following article describes the basic built-in plugins introduced by the Fabric's Discovery and Catalog solution:
- Metadata Logical Reference - to create refers to relations between two datasets based on the field name comparison.
- Data Regex Classifier - to classify the source fields based on their data - field value.
- Metadata Regex Classifier - to classify the source fields based on their metadata - field name.
- Classification PII Marker - to set the fields as based on their classification.
- NULL Percentage - to calculate the percentage of NULL values per column, based on the data snapshot.
Additional built-in plugins description can be found here.
Metadata Logical Reference
The purpose of a Metadata Logical Reference plugin is to identify possible foreign key references between datasets and to create refers to relations. This plugin is useful in a case where a source doesn't have predefined foreign key constraints. Note that this plugin is inactive by default and if needed, it should be set to active via the plugins.discovery file.
The matching algorithm works by comparing the field names of 2 different datasets at a time. Prior to the matching, the field names are normalized using the following formatting rules: underscore ‘_’ removal, conversion to lowercase letters and addition of a table name in case the field name is an ID.
For example, the following field names will be matched: customer.ID, CUSTOMER_ID and CustomerID.
This plugin includes a exclusion list of field names (e.g., 'username' or 'age') and an exclusion list of field types (e.g., date, time, blob) to be excluded from the matching algorithm. These exclusion lists are defined in the plugins.discovery configuration file as plugin input parameters, and they can be updated on a project level.
If a match is found, the plugin evaluates both the relation direction and the foreign key fields by using the matching rule. The refers to relation direction is Many-to-One. The relation is created with a score - a probability of the match's correctness.
Matching Rules
The following matching rules are defined in the plugins.discovery file and can be applied by the plugin. Note that the rule is actually applied only if its score is above the plugin's threshold. Otherwise the rule is skipped.
field_name_is_id_and_pk - dataset1 has a PK field id and dataset2 has a field dataset1id (normalized).
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.ID (PK) and activity.customer_id
field_name_is_id_and_not_pk - dataset1 has a non-PK field id and dataset2 has a field dataset1id (normalized).
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.ID (non-PK) and activity.customer_id
single_field_pk_and_not_pk - dataset1 has a PK field and dataset2 has a field with the same name (normalized), non-PK.
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.customer_id (PK) and activity.customer_id
common_fields_in_both_pk - common fields that are part of the PK in both datasets, but where dataset1 has less PKs than dataset2.
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Some examples of the matching rules are:
same_field_names_pk - common fields that are part of the PK in both datasets, and where both datasets have an identical PKs number.
- The relation is created and its direction is random.
same_field_names_not_pk - both datasets have fields with the same names (normalized, not in field_name_blk), both are non-PK.
- The relation is created and its direction is random.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Metadata Logical Reference plugin's matching algorithm by either their name or type. The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. This can be useful when, for example, the same field name exists in many datasets of the same schema and this field should not be part of the refers to relation, e.g., lastModifiedDate.
Data Regex Classifier
The purpose of Data Regex Classifier plugin is to classify the source fields based on their data - field value. This classification helps to identify which Catalog entities store sensitive information and should therefore be masked.
This plugin runs on a data snapshot that is extracted from the source, and it executes the regular expressions defined in a built-in data_profiling MTable.
If a regular expression (known as regex) matches the field's data, a Classification property is added to the field with a value corresponding to the matching regex (e.g., EMAIL). If a match is found for more than one expression, the property is created with the Classification that got a higher calculated score.
To update the data profiling rules, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier Regex Setup tab.
Example:
The below regular expression \b(?:\d[ -]*?){13,16}\b is executed on the field's values:
When the expression matches a field's value, the probability that this field holds a credit card number is 0.8. Thus, in case of a match, the score is 0.8 and when there is no match, the score is 0. The expression is executed on all values on the given column in the data sample and the average score is calculated. Then, the calculated average score is compared with the plugin's threshold as explained earlier in this article. If the calculated average score is above the threshold, the Classification = CREDIT_CARD property is added to the field.
Metadata Regex Classifier
The purpose of Metadata Regex Classifier plugin is to classify the source fields based on their metadata - field name.
The matching rules are defined using regular expressions in a built-in metadata_profiling MTable.
If a regular expression (known as regex) matches the field's name, a Classification property is added to the field with a value corresponding to the matching regex (e.g., SOCIAL_SECURITY_NUMBER). If a match is found for more than one expression, the property is created with the Classification that has the highest score.
To update the metadata profiling rules, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier Regex Setup tab.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Metadata Regex Classifier plugin's logic by either their name or type. This can be useful when, for example, you need to exclude all fields with a certain name or a name pattern from the classification process.
The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. The field_name_exclude_list definition can be either the exact field name or a regular expression.
Example:
"input_parameters": {
"field_name_exclude_list": [
"(?i).*NAME.*",
"STREET_ADDRESS_2"
],
"field_type_exclude_list": [
"boolean"
]
}
Classification PII Marker
The purpose of Classification PII Marker plugin is to go over all the fields that have got the Classification property (by either one of the above plugins) and to add the PII property.
The rules as to whether the classification type is considered a PII are defined in a built-in pii_profiling MTable.
To update the Classification's PII indicator, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier PII & Masking Setup.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Classification PII Marker plugin's logic by either their name or type. This can be useful when, for example, you need to exclude all fields with a certain name or a name pattern from the PII marking process.
The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. The field_name_exclude_list definition can be either the exact field name or a regular expression.
Example:
"input_parameters": {
"field_name_exclude_list": [
"^(?i)[a-z]+_?ID$"
],
"field_type_exclude_list": [
"DATETIME"
]
}
NULL Percentage
The purpose of this plugin is to calculate the percentage of NULL values per column, based on the data snapshot. This percentage is calculated on each column of non-empty tables. The default size of the data snapshot is configured in the plugins.discovery file as explained earlier in this article.
As a result, the Null Percentage property is added to the field's properties when the calculated value is above the threshold.
For example, when 30% of the values in a certain field are null, the Null Percentage property will be added to this field with the value = 0.3. However, if 20% or less of the values in this field are null, then this property would not be added.
Built-In Plugins
Overview
The following article describes the basic built-in plugins introduced by the Fabric's Discovery and Catalog solution:
- Metadata Logical Reference - to create refers to relations between two datasets based on the field name comparison.
- Data Regex Classifier - to classify the source fields based on their data - field value.
- Metadata Regex Classifier - to classify the source fields based on their metadata - field name.
- Classification PII Marker - to set the fields as based on their classification.
- NULL Percentage - to calculate the percentage of NULL values per column, based on the data snapshot.
Additional built-in plugins description can be found here.
Metadata Logical Reference
The purpose of a Metadata Logical Reference plugin is to identify possible foreign key references between datasets and to create refers to relations. This plugin is useful in a case where a source doesn't have predefined foreign key constraints. Note that this plugin is inactive by default and if needed, it should be set to active via the plugins.discovery file.
The matching algorithm works by comparing the field names of 2 different datasets at a time. Prior to the matching, the field names are normalized using the following formatting rules: underscore ‘_’ removal, conversion to lowercase letters and addition of a table name in case the field name is an ID.
For example, the following field names will be matched: customer.ID, CUSTOMER_ID and CustomerID.
This plugin includes a exclusion list of field names (e.g., 'username' or 'age') and an exclusion list of field types (e.g., date, time, blob) to be excluded from the matching algorithm. These exclusion lists are defined in the plugins.discovery configuration file as plugin input parameters, and they can be updated on a project level.
If a match is found, the plugin evaluates both the relation direction and the foreign key fields by using the matching rule. The refers to relation direction is Many-to-One. The relation is created with a score - a probability of the match's correctness.
Matching Rules
The following matching rules are defined in the plugins.discovery file and can be applied by the plugin. Note that the rule is actually applied only if its score is above the plugin's threshold. Otherwise the rule is skipped.
field_name_is_id_and_pk - dataset1 has a PK field id and dataset2 has a field dataset1id (normalized).
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.ID (PK) and activity.customer_id
field_name_is_id_and_not_pk - dataset1 has a non-PK field id and dataset2 has a field dataset1id (normalized).
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.ID (non-PK) and activity.customer_id
single_field_pk_and_not_pk - dataset1 has a PK field and dataset2 has a field with the same name (normalized), non-PK.
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Example: customer.customer_id (PK) and activity.customer_id
common_fields_in_both_pk - common fields that are part of the PK in both datasets, but where dataset1 has less PKs than dataset2.
- The relation dataset2 refers to dataset1 is created.
- Some examples of the matching rules are:
same_field_names_pk - common fields that are part of the PK in both datasets, and where both datasets have an identical PKs number.
- The relation is created and its direction is random.
same_field_names_not_pk - both datasets have fields with the same names (normalized, not in field_name_blk), both are non-PK.
- The relation is created and its direction is random.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Metadata Logical Reference plugin's matching algorithm by either their name or type. The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. This can be useful when, for example, the same field name exists in many datasets of the same schema and this field should not be part of the refers to relation, e.g., lastModifiedDate.
Data Regex Classifier
The purpose of Data Regex Classifier plugin is to classify the source fields based on their data - field value. This classification helps to identify which Catalog entities store sensitive information and should therefore be masked.
This plugin runs on a data snapshot that is extracted from the source, and it executes the regular expressions defined in a built-in data_profiling MTable.
If a regular expression (known as regex) matches the field's data, a Classification property is added to the field with a value corresponding to the matching regex (e.g., EMAIL). If a match is found for more than one expression, the property is created with the Classification that got a higher calculated score.
To update the data profiling rules, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier Regex Setup tab.
Example:
The below regular expression \b(?:\d[ -]*?){13,16}\b is executed on the field's values:
When the expression matches a field's value, the probability that this field holds a credit card number is 0.8. Thus, in case of a match, the score is 0.8 and when there is no match, the score is 0. The expression is executed on all values on the given column in the data sample and the average score is calculated. Then, the calculated average score is compared with the plugin's threshold as explained earlier in this article. If the calculated average score is above the threshold, the Classification = CREDIT_CARD property is added to the field.
Metadata Regex Classifier
The purpose of Metadata Regex Classifier plugin is to classify the source fields based on their metadata - field name.
The matching rules are defined using regular expressions in a built-in metadata_profiling MTable.
If a regular expression (known as regex) matches the field's name, a Classification property is added to the field with a value corresponding to the matching regex (e.g., SOCIAL_SECURITY_NUMBER). If a match is found for more than one expression, the property is created with the Classification that has the highest score.
To update the metadata profiling rules, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier Regex Setup tab.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Metadata Regex Classifier plugin's logic by either their name or type. This can be useful when, for example, you need to exclude all fields with a certain name or a name pattern from the classification process.
The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. The field_name_exclude_list definition can be either the exact field name or a regular expression.
Example:
"input_parameters": {
"field_name_exclude_list": [
"(?i).*NAME.*",
"STREET_ADDRESS_2"
],
"field_type_exclude_list": [
"boolean"
]
}
Classification PII Marker
The purpose of Classification PII Marker plugin is to go over all the fields that have got the Classification property (by either one of the above plugins) and to add the PII property.
The rules as to whether the classification type is considered a PII are defined in a built-in pii_profiling MTable.
To update the Classification's PII indicator, go to the Catalog Settings > Classifier PII & Masking Setup.
Field Exclusion List
Fields can be excluded from the Classification PII Marker plugin's logic by either their name or type. This can be useful when, for example, you need to exclude all fields with a certain name or a name pattern from the PII marking process.
The exclusion list can be defined using the field_name_exclude_list and field_type_exclude_list arrays in the plugin's input parameters definition of the plugins.discovery configuration file. The field_name_exclude_list definition can be either the exact field name or a regular expression.
Example:
"input_parameters": {
"field_name_exclude_list": [
"^(?i)[a-z]+_?ID$"
],
"field_type_exclude_list": [
"DATETIME"
]
}
NULL Percentage
The purpose of this plugin is to calculate the percentage of NULL values per column, based on the data snapshot. This percentage is calculated on each column of non-empty tables. The default size of the data snapshot is configured in the plugins.discovery file as explained earlier in this article.
As a result, the Null Percentage property is added to the field's properties when the calculated value is above the threshold.
For example, when 30% of the values in a certain field are null, the Null Percentage property will be added to this field with the value = 0.3. However, if 20% or less of the values in this field are null, then this property would not be added.
