Overview
Discovery is Entegrata’s automated process for scanning data sources to find available resources and tracking their schemas.How Discovery Works
When discovery runs, Entegrata:Scan for Resources
Queries the data source for all available resources:
- Database: Tables and views in accessible schemas
- API: Available endpoints and objects
- File System: Files and sheets in accessible locations
Analyze Schema
For each resource, Entegrata examines:
- Field names and data types
- Primary keys and constraints
- Relationships and hierarchies
- Metadata and annotations
Detect Changes
Compares current schema with previously discovered schema to identify:
- New resources added
- Resources removed
- Schema changes (fields added, removed, or modified)
Discovery Schedule
Automatic Discovery
Discovery runs automatically every 3 hours for all active connections.Automatic discovery ensures your catalog stays current with source system changes without manual intervention.
Manual Discovery
You can trigger discovery immediately when you need to:- Check for new resources right after adding them to the source
- Refresh schema after making changes in the source system
- Troubleshoot collection issues that may be schema-related
- Verify connectivity after updating credentials
Discovery Results
Last Discovered Timestamp
The Resources page displays when discovery last ran:
New Resources
When discovery finds new resources in your data source, they automatically appear in the Resources list:- Default state: Inactive (not collecting)
- Default settings: Inherit connection-level configuration
- Ready to configure: Enable and configure collection settings as needed
Removed Resources
If discovery detects that a resource no longer exists in the source system:- Resource is marked as Removed or Deleted
- Collection automatically stops
- Historical data remains in your data lakehouse
- Configuration is preserved in case the resource returns
If a resource was accidentally deleted from the source and later restored, re-enabling it in Entegrata will resume collection with existing settings.
