💡Core Concepts
Understanding these fundamental concepts will help you get the most out of Euno.
What is a Resource?
In Euno, everything in your data stack is represented as a resource.
A resource can be:
📊 A database table or view
📈 A dashboard or chart
🔄 A dbt model or transformation
📁 A schema or database
🔢 A column within a table
📝 A Looker Explore or Tableau workbook
Key Point: Euno discovers resources automatically from your connected data sources. You don't need to manually catalog anything.
Resource Properties
Each resource has properties that describe it:
Identity Properties: Name, URI, native ID
Descriptive Properties: Description, owner, tags
Usage Properties: Query counts, view counts, costs
Metadata Properties: Last updated, created date, source
Universal Resource Identifiers (URIs)
Every resource in Euno has a unique identifier called a URI.
Why URIs Matter
URIs allow Euno to:
Uniquely identify every resource across your entire data stack
Connect resources across different platforms
Track resources even when they're renamed
Build accurate lineage relationships
URI Structure
URIs follow a hierarchical pattern:
Examples:
Snowflake Table:
dbt Model:
Tableau Dashboard:
Looker Dashboard:
URI Components Explained
Let's break down a Snowflake table URI:
💡 Pro Tip: URIs are always lowercase. Euno automatically normalizes names to ensure consistency.
For detailed URI formats by resource type, see URI Structure Deep Dive.
Relationships Between Resources
Resources don't exist in isolation—they're connected through relationships.
Types of Relationships
Euno tracks three primary relationship types:
1. Dependency (Lineage)
Shows data flow from upstream → downstream.
Example:
raw.usersis upstream ofstg_usersrevenue_dashboardis downstream ofdim_customers
Questions this answers:
"What tables feed into this dashboard?"
"If I change this table, what breaks?"
"Where does this data come from?"
2. Containment (Hierarchy)
Shows parent-child relationships.
Example:
Questions this answers:
"What columns are in this table?"
"What tables are in this schema?"
"What's the full path to this resource?"
3. Defined-by (Logical Definition)
Shows which tool defines a resource's logic.
Example:
This means:
The table exists in Snowflake
But its logic is managed by dbt
Changes should be made in dbt, not directly in Snowflake
Questions this answers:
"Where is this table's transformation logic?"
"Is this table managed by dbt?"
"What's the source of truth for this resource?"
Visualizing Relationships
Euno provides two ways to explore relationships:
Graph View: Visual representation of lineage
Resource Detail Page: Lists of upstream/downstream resources
For detailed relationship types and examples, see Relationships Reference.
Column-Level Lineage
Euno tracks relationships not just at the table/model level, but at the column level.
Why Column Lineage Matters
Understanding column-level lineage helps you:
Trace sensitive data (PII) through your entire pipeline
Understand calculation dependencies
Perform precise impact analysis
Document data transformations
Example
You can see exactly how customer_id flows from raw data → staging → dimensional model → BI dashboard.
Resource Sponsorship & Lifecycle
Euno needs to know how to handle resources when they're no longer detected in a source integration.
What is a Sponsor?
A sponsor is the source integration that discovered a resource.
Example:
Your dbt integration discovers the
dim_customersmodeldbt is now the sponsor of that resource
If dbt stops detecting it, Euno can automatically clean it up
Cleanup Strategies
You can configure how Euno handles resources that disappear:
Time-Based Cleanup (Default)
Remove resources that haven't been detected in X days (default: 7 days)
Use when: You want a grace period for temporary issues
Immediate Cleanup
Remove resources as soon as they're not detected
Use when: You want your catalog to always reflect current state
No Cleanup
Keep all resources indefinitely
Use when: You want to preserve historical resources for auditing
For more details, see Resource Sponsorship & Cleanup.
Resource Types
Euno supports many resource types across different platforms:
Databases, Schemas, Tables, Views, Columns, etc. from Data Warehouse resources
Models, Metrics, Pipelines, etc. from Semantic Layers & ETL Tools
Dashboards, Reports, Visualizations, Data Sources/Models, etc. from BI Tools
Usage & Performance Metadata
Euno automatically collects usage data from your sources:
Warehouse Usage
Query Count: How many times was this queried?
Query Cost / Runtime: (For supported integrations) How much did queries cost?
Storage: How much space does this use?
BI Usage
Impressions: How many times was this viewed?
Users: Who viewed this?
Last Accessed: When was this last used?
Transformation Performance
Build Time: How long does this model take to build?
Build Status: Did the last run succeed or fail?
Freshness: Is the data up to date?
Why This Matters
Usage data helps you:
Identify unused resources → Candidates for deprecation
Find expensive queries → Optimization opportunities
Prioritize work → Focus on high-impact resources
Understand adoption → See what people actually use
Active Metadata Management
You can enrich resources with custom metadata:
Fixed Tags
Pre-defined tags with specific values:
Owner
Description
Status (Active, Deprecated, etc.)
Certification Level
Active Tags
Live tags that are calculated based on the latest state of your data:
Relies on PII
Certified Dashboard
Usage Level
Euno Query Language (EQL)
EQL (Euno Query Language) is a powerful query language for finding and filtering resources in Euno's data model.
What is EQL?
EQL allows you to:
Filter resources using specific property values
Explore relationships such as dependencies and hierarchies
Query metrics and usage patterns
Build complex queries by combining conditions with logical operators
Key EQL Concepts
Resource Filtering:
Filter by resource type:
type = 'dbt_model'Filter by properties:
database_schema = 'sales'Combine conditions:
type = 'table' AND database = 'analytics'
Relationship Queries:
Find upstream dependencies:
has upstream(type='dbt_source')Find downstream resources:
has downstream(type='tableau_dashboard')Explore parent-child relationships:
has parent(type='schema')
Logical Operations:
AND:
type = 'table' AND database = 'analytics'OR:
type = 'dbt_model' OR type = 'dbt_source'NOT:
NOT (type = 'looker_look')
Example EQL Queries
Find dbt models that depend on specific sources:
Find dashboards with no upstream dependencies:
Find tables with high query costs:
For complete EQL documentation, see Understanding EQL.
Metadata Activation
Euno doesn't just catalog metadata—it activates it:
What is Metadata Activation?
Using metadata to trigger automated actions:
Examples:
Workflow: Notify #data-team when new ungoverned resources appear
Data Model Sync: Auto-update Looker when dbt changes
This is what makes Euno more than just a catalog—it's an active governance and automation platform.
Key Takeaways
✓ Everything is a Resource - Tables, dashboards, models, columns, etc.
✓ URIs Uniquely Identify Resources - Across all platforms
✓ Relationships Connect Resources - Dependency, containment, definition
✓ Column-Level Lineage - Track data at the most granular level
✓ Usage Data Drives Decisions - Optimize based on actual behavior
✓ Metadata Activation - Turn passive metadata into automated actions
Next Steps
Now that you understand the core concepts:
Try the Quickstart Guide - See these concepts in action
Explore the Data Model Screen - Navigate your actual resources
Use the AI Assistant - Ask questions about your metadata
Set Up Your First Workflow - Activate your metadata
Related Documentation
Universal Resource Identifier (URI) - Detailed URI structure
Relationships - Complete relationship reference
Resource Sponsorship & Cleanup - Lifecycle management
Quickstart Guide - Hands-on tutorial
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