Action Required for BigQuery Policy Tags During Data Catalog to Dataplex Universal Catalog Upgrade?

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1

Hello,

We are preparing for the mandatory upgrade from Data Catalog to the Dataplex Universal Catalog, as outlined in the recent
announcements.

Our team currently uses BigQuery policy tags extensively for column-level access control. We need to understand if any specific
actions are required for these policy tags as part of the migration.

Specifically:

  1. Will existing BigQuery policy tags and their associated IAM policies be automatically and seamlessly migrated to the new
    Dataplex Universal Catalog without any intervention?
  2. Is there any risk of disruption to our column-level security controls during or after this transition?
  3. Are there any new or different procedures for managing these policy tags in the Dataplex environment that we should be aware of?

We have reviewed the transition documentation but would appreciate a clear confirmation on the expected behavior for BigQuery policy
tags to ensure a smooth transition.

Thank you

2

Hi 彥成_周,

Let’s go through your questions one by one:

  1. Will existing BigQuery policy tags and their associated IAM policies be automatically and seamlessly migrated to the new Dataplex Universal Catalog without any intervention?
  • Yes, your existing BigQuery policy tags and their associated IAM policies will be automatically and seamlessly migrated to the Dataplex Universal Catalog. You do not need to recreate or manually migrate them.
  1. Is there any risk of disruption to our column-level security controls during or after this transition?
  • There is minimal to no risk of functional disruption. The core enforcement of column-level security happens within BigQuery, and that mechanism is not changing. The upgrade only affects the management interface.
  1. Are there any new or different procedures for managing these policy tags in the Dataplex environment that we should be aware of?
  • Yes, the main change will be in the management interface and unified context. The key shift is that the primary interface for managing policy tags (including taxonomies and definitions) will move from the standalone Data Catalog UI to the Dataplex UI. While the Data Catalog APIs for programmatic management will mostly stay the same, Dataplex will become the central hub. It will provide enhanced context, unified metadata views across multiple data sources, and stronger integration with other data governance features like data quality and discovery. While the core structure and concepts of your policy tags will remain unchanged, the administrative experience will be centralized and more robust within the Dataplex environment.

Additionally, you may want to check the following documentation that might help with your smooth transition:

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