data catalog-as-a-service (DcAAS)
(SMARTCATALOG: data enablement service)
make your metadata and data findable, browsable, and interoperable
without the heavy stack
WHY A SIMPLE but smart metadata and DATA CATALOG MATTERS
Most organizations already have datasets. The problem is:
- Metadata (descriptions, provenance, licensing) is scattered or missing.
- Data lives in spreadsheets, APIs, databases, files — disconnected from metadata.
- Users struggle to actually browse, filter, and reuse the underlying data.
- Developers waste time cleaning and mapping data instead of using it.
SmartCatalog solves this by combining:
- Metadata cataloging (standards-based, DCAT-AP, JSON-LD).
- Direct data access under each metadata record.
- DataGrid browsing & export for both metadata and data.
It’s not just a directory — it’s a lightweight portal to your data and metadata.
WHAT IS SMARTCATALOG
A hosted service that brings together:
- Metadata catalog → structure, describe, and make datasets discoverable, DCAT-AP compliant.
- Data storage under each metadata record → attach the actual dataset (CSV, Excel, JSON, API endpoint, DB table), store or link actual datasets to each record
- DataGrid UI → browse, filter, sort, group both metadata and data.
- Metadata & data export → download subsets, CSV, PDF, SQL
- Harvesters → ingest metadata and/or linked datasets from external sources.
- Role-based access control → decide who sees metadata, who sees full data.
- APIs → query metadata or data subsets programmatically.
It’s the simplest building block for organizations that want to share not only what datasets exist — but also let people work with the data itself. Start small, grow with your needs
Components of a smartcatalog
Based on FIWARE and our FIWAREBox solutions, a working SmartCatalog includes:
- Metadata Catalog (DCAT-AP, CKAN) – making datasets discoverable and harvestable by EU/national portals.
- Identity & Access Management – authentication (OAuth2/OIDC), authorization per dataset/service.
- Connectors & Harvesters – periodic imports (CSV, Excel, APIs).
- Time-series Database – storage for historical data queries and analytics.
How We Help City Leaders & IT Experts
For a city mayor, we provide a clear path to Smart City transformation:
- Start with Smart Catalog → see quick value.
- Scale step by step → from open data to full data space (DSaaS).
- Improve transparency, citizen engagement, and innovation capacity.
For a city IT expert, we provide the tools and standards out-of-the-box:
- No need to build or integrate components from scratch.
- FIWARE-compliant, EU-standard (DCAT-AP).
- Secure, documented, and maintainable.
- Open for integration with existing IT and cloud systems.
THE PROBLEM
ORGANIZATIONS (SMBS, MUNICIPALITIES, RESEARCH CONSORTIA, INDUSTRIES) ALREADY GENERATE TONS OF DATA (OPEN DATA PORTALS, EXCEL SHEETS, ERP EXPORTS
DATA IS SCATTERED and UNSTRUCTURED
TRADITIONAL SOLUTIONS (MES, ERP, SMART CITY PLATFORMS) ARE TOO EXPENSIVE AND COMPLEX FOR STARTING SMALL
OUR SOLUTION
We provide a Smart Catalog that:
INGESTS YOUR DATA FROM ANY SOURCE (CSV, EXCEL, JSON)
PUBLISHES IT INTO YOUR OWN DATA catalog
INDEXES METADATA IN CKAN / DCAT-AP FOR DISCOVERY
who is for?
- SMBs → manage operational data alongside its descriptions in one place.
- Municipalities / Smart Cities → publish datasets with context (metadata) + data files (traffic, permits, sensors).
- Research consortia & Industry → provide datasets under standard metadata for partners.
- NGOs & communities → share data and metadata openly, but with role-based control
low risk
Start with one dataset.
scalable
Add more datasets as you grow.
compliant
Powered by FIWARE, Built on EU data standards.
technical highlights
- FIWAREBox - FIWARE-compliant stack (Keycloak, CKAN, PostgreSQL, DataGrid).
- DCAT-AP catalogs for metadata discovery.
- Catalog core based on CKAN principles, simplified.
- Support for storing datasets inside the catalog (CSV, Excel, JSON, APIs).
- DataGrid UI for metadata + data browsing (CSV, JSON, JSON-LD).
- Harvesters for metadata + data ingestion.
- APIs for querying metadata or filtered dataset exports.
- Secure hosting, HTTPS, RBAC, backups.
Our process in fIVE easy steps
1
SIGN UP
Choose plan and instance type
2
DATASETS
Upload dataset with metadata or harvest from source
3
ACCESS
Metadata public, data private (or both public)
4
BROWSE & REUSE
DataGrid for both catalog and datasets
5
GROW
Add more datasets, connect APIs, upgrade to dataspace later
PRICING
STARTER
50€
per dataset/month, billed annually
or
60€
per dataset/month, billed monthly
- Shared hosted FIWAREBox Instance
- 1 dataset (metadata + data)
- Identity & Access Management
Authentication (OAuth2 / OIDC)
Role-based authorization per dataset
Public or private catalog
Data Services
Periodic & automatic harvesting from source
Database
- Metadata & Catalog
DCAT-AP metadata catalog entry
Searchable publisher portal User interface
Metadata and data viewer / editor
with
filtering, sorting, grouping, importing, exporting
- Searchable publisher portal
E-mail support (Business hours)
GROWTH
200€
per month, billed annually
or
240€
-
per month, billed monthly
- Dedicated hosted FIWAREBox Instance
All features from STARTERplus
2CPU, 8GB, 25GB SSD
- Up to 5 datasets
- Data Services
API access to metadata and data
ENTERPRISE
from 800€
per month, billed annually
or
960€
-
per month, billed monthly
- Dedicated FIWAREBox Instance
(hosted or self hosted)
All features from GROWTHplus
from 4CPU, 16GB, 50GB SSD
- Unlimited datasets
(limited by storage capacity)
- Maps
- Dashboards
- Support
8/5 SLA
MORE
get ready! 1.10.2025
GIVE US YOUR DATASETS TODAY – TOMORROW IT’S A JSON-LD DATA SPACE SERVICE
Transform your city with our powerful tools.