Foundational

Key Information

Key Features

• Native git integration
• Pull request impact analysis
• Lineage: Spark and Databricks
• Lineage export
• Zero integration effort
• Lineage API (Coming soon)
• Data catalog integration (Coming soon)
• SSO, SAML, and IDP
• Advanced governance tools

Pricing

• Team - Contact for Pricing
• Growth - Contact for Pricing
• Enterprise - Contact for Pricing

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What is Foundational?

Foundational is a data management platform designed to automate data lineage, impact analysis, and data contracts. It provides a comprehensive view of data across the entire stack, from source code to visualizations and BI tools, ensuring that data lineage is always up-to-date with the latest code changes.

Foundational supports a variety of data development frameworks such as dbt, Spark, Airflow, and SQLAlchemy. It integrates seamlessly with GitHub and does not require any code changes or integration work for setup. The platform focuses on analyzing source code, query logs, schemas, and metadata to provide detailed insights into data dependencies.

Features

• Native Git Integration: This feature allows Foundational to integrate directly with Git repositories, making it easy to deploy across the organization without requiring additional setup.
• Pull Request Impact Analysis: Foundational analyzes the impact of changes in pull requests, helping teams understand how updates will affect their data pipelines.
• Lineage: Spark and Databricks: The tool provides detailed lineage for Spark and Databricks, offering insights into data transformations and dependencies within these systems.
• Lineage Export: Users can export lineage data for further analysis or integration with other tools.
• Zero Integration Effort: Foundational requires no code changes or integration work, making it simple to set up and use.
• Lineage API (Coming soon): This upcoming feature will enable programmatic access to lineage data, facilitating automation and integration with other systems.
• Data Catalog Integration (Coming soon): Future integration with data catalogs will enhance data discovery and governance capabilities.
• SSO, SAML, and IDP: Foundational supports single sign-on (SSO), Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and Identity Provider (IDP) for secure access management.
• Advanced Governance Tools: These tools help organizations manage data policies and compliance more effectively.

Pros

• Automated Data Lineage: Foundational automates the process of tracking data lineage, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.
• Seamless Integration: The tool integrates easily with existing data systems, requiring no code changes.
• Comprehensive Data View: It provides a detailed view of data across the entire stack, from source to visualization.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Foundational facilitates better collaboration among teams by providing a clear understanding of data dependencies.

Cons

• Limited Public Pricing Information: Pricing details are not publicly available, which can make it difficult for potential users to plan budgets.
• Dependence on Code Analysis: The tool relies heavily on code analysis, which might not be suitable for all types of data environments.

Foundational Pricing

• Team: Contact for Pricing
• Includes native git integration, pull request impact analysis, lineage for Spark and Databricks, lineage export, and zero integration effort.
• Growth: Contact for Pricing
• Includes all features from the Team plan, plus upcoming features like Lineage API and data catalog integration, along with SSO, SAML, and IDP.
• Enterprise: Contact for Pricing
• Includes all features from the Growth plan, with additional advanced governance tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of Foundational's automated data lineage?

Foundational's automated data lineage is designed to track how data moves through an organization's systems, providing insights into data transformations and dependencies. This helps in understanding the impact of changes and ensuring data integrity.

2. How does Foundational integrate with existing systems?

Foundational integrates seamlessly with GitHub and supports various data frameworks like dbt, Spark, and Airflow. It does not require code changes or additional integration work, making setup straightforward.

3. What are the key benefits of using Foundational compared to other data lineage tools?

Foundational offers automated data lineage with zero integration effort, making it easier to deploy compared to tools that require manual setup or code changes. It also provides a comprehensive view of data across the entire stack.

4. Does Foundational offer a free trial or demo?

Yes, Foundational offers a free 30-day trial. Users can schedule a demo to learn more about the tool's capabilities.

5. How does Foundational handle security and access control?

Foundational supports SSO, SAML, and IDP for secure access management. It does not access or process any data or personally identifiable information (PII), focusing solely on code and metadata analysis.

6. What are the prerequisites for using Foundational effectively?

To use Foundational effectively, organizations should have a well-structured codebase and utilize supported data frameworks. Integration with GitHub or similar version control systems is also necessary.

7. How does Foundational's pricing model work?

Foundational's pricing is based on the amount of code scanned, which includes dbt models, Spark jobs, or pipeline queries. The exact pricing details are available upon contacting the company.

8. Can Foundational be used across multiple platforms?

Foundational supports integration with various data platforms through its native git integration and support for multiple data frameworks. However, it does not explicitly mention support for multiple operating systems or mobile platforms.

9. What are some use cases for Foundational in data management?

Foundational is useful for data governance, impact analysis, and ensuring compliance by providing a clear view of data lineage. It helps organizations manage data dependencies effectively and prevent data issues.

10. How does Foundational compare to open-source alternatives like OpenMetadata?

Foundational offers a commercial solution with seamless integration and automated features, whereas OpenMetadata is an open-source tool that provides detailed data exploration capabilities. OpenMetadata requires more manual setup and customization compared to Foundational.