Who is responsible for managing data on behalf of the data owner?

The role of a data custodian is specifically focused on the management and protection of data on behalf of the data owner. This involves ensuring that data is stored securely, is maintained properly, and complies with relevant policies and regulations. Data custodians are responsible for implementing technical and organizational measures to safeguard data integrity, confidentiality, and availability, while also managing access controls to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

By maintaining the infrastructure and tools necessary for data storage and management, data custodians play a vital role in the overall governance and stewardship of data within an organization. This is essential for ensuring that data is not only used effectively but also protected against unauthorized access and breaches.

In contrast, the other roles like data user, data analyst, and data administrator have different responsibilities that do not primarily focus on the management of data on behalf of the data owner. The data user interacts with the data for specific needs, the data analyst interprets and converts data into actionable insights, and the data administrator oversees database management but does not typically encompass broader data stewardship duties inherent to the custodian's role.