Using metadata management best practices helps to maximize the value of the data stored by an organization. Finding the right data after it has been placed in storage can be difficult if the storage system has no organization. Metadata is used to organize the data so it can be found easily.
Metadata is essentially a labeling system, similar to card catalogs used by many library patrons when seeking specific books from library shelves. Some form of metadata has been used to locate information for thousands of years.
