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Common folder forge how to#
Folder organizationĭata producers can choose how to organize the Common Data Model folders within their file system. The storage concept that isolates data producers from each other is a Data Lake Storage Gen2 file system. Because the data producer adds relevant metadata, each consumer can more easily leverage the data that's produced.Įach data producer stores its data in isolation from other data producers. The data producer is responsible for creating the folder, the model.json file, and the associated data files. Data producersĪ data producer is a service or application, such as Dynamics 365 or Power BI dataflows, that creates data in Common Data Model folders in Data Lake Storage Gen2. The model.json metadata file provides pointers to the entity data files throughout the Common Data Model folder. The following diagrams show examples of a Common Data Model folder with *. and model.json. csv format, but we're working to support other formats. The data files in a Common Data Model folder have a well-defined structure and format (subfolders are optional, as this topic describes later), and are referenced in *. or in the model.json file. The existence of this file indicates compliance with the Common Data Model metadata format the file might include standard entities that provide more built-in, rich semantic metadata that apps can leverage. The model.json metadata file contains semantic information about entity records and attributes, and links to underlying data files. The *.cdm.json file contains the definition for each Common Data Model entity and location of data files for each entity. Each entity definition is in an individual file making managing, navigation and discoverability of entity metadata easier and more intuitive. The *. format allows for multiple manifests stored in the single folder providing an ability to scope data for different data consuming solutions for various personas or business perspectives. The *. file contains information about the content of Common Data Model folder, entities comprising the folder, relationships and links to underlying data files. For an example, see the Account entity document on GitHub.Ī service or app that creates data in Common Data Model folders in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2.Ī service or app that consumes data in Common Data Model folders in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2.Įach Common Data Model folder contains these elements: For more information, go to the metadata file (model.json) for the Common Data Model.Ī metadata file in the Common Data Model folder that contains the metadata about the specific entity, its attributes, semantic meanings of entity and attributes. If this file exists in such a folder, it's a Common Data Model folder. For more information, go to Common Data Model: Introducing manifest.Ī metadata file in a folder in a Data Lake Storage Gen2 instance that follows the Common Data Model metadata format.
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These folders facilitate metadata discovery and interoperability between data producers and data consumers.Ī metadata file in a folder in a Data Lake Storage Gen2 instance that follows the Common Data Model metadata format and potentially references other sub-Manifest for nested solutions. ConceptĪ folder in a data lake that conforms to specific, well-defined, and standardized metadata structures and self-describing data. These terms are used throughout Common Data Model documentation. The format of a shared folder helps each consumer avoid having to "relearn" the meaning of the data in the lake. The preceding graphic shows the wide spectrum of services and users who can contribute to and leverage data in Common Data Model folders in a data lake.
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The standardized metadata and self-describing data in an Azure Data Lake facilitates metadata discovery and interoperability between data producers and data consumers such as Power BI, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, and Azure Machine Learning. With the evolution of the Common Data Model metadata system, the model brings the same structural consistency and semantic meaning to the data stored in Microsoft Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hierarchical namespaces and folders that contain schematized data in standard Common Data Model format. Data stored in accordance with the Common Data Model provides semantic consistency across apps and deployments.
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