Case Study: Optimizing Collibra licenses for a global energy company

When Collibra introduced a new licensing model, a global energy company faced rising platform costs due to an excessive number of Creator licenses. However, Creator users were deeply embedded in existing workflows, and any change risked disrupting critical data governance processes.

The client needed to reduce licensing costs while preserving Collibra efficiency and user experience. Murdio stepped in to optimize their license usage, streamline user roles, and maintain uninterrupted operations across the data catalog.

The Challenge

Key challenges included:

1. Rising costs due to new licensing model
   The change in Collibra’s role structure made Creator licenses more expensive, creating pressure to reduce usage.
2. Too many users with Creator roles
   Many users were assigned Creator access even though they did not require full capabilities. 
3. Workflows dependent on existing roles
   Critical governance workflows were built around Creator roles. Removing them risked breaking established processes.
4. Need to transition to Contributor roles
   The client had to adopt more Contributor roles while ensuring business continuity.
5. Maintaining efficiency and adoption
   Any changes had to preserve user experience, workflow functionality, and platform trust.

The Solution

Murdio designed and implemented a license optimization strategy to right-size access and maintain operational stability.

Assessing role usage and requirements

• Conducted an in-depth analysis of all users with Creator roles.
  
• Identified which users did not need Creator-level capabilities.
  
• Engaged stakeholders to validate role requirements and business needs.
  

Reconfiguring data steward roles

• Redesigned data steward responsibilities to align with new license constraints.
  
• Reduced the number of Creator assignments while keeping stewardship effective.
  

Adapting workflows to support Contributor roles

• Modified existing workflows to function seamlessly with Contributor permissions.
  
• Developed new workflows where necessary to maintain process integrity.
  

Mapping users to appropriate access in domains

• Granted accurate, role-based access across Collibra domains.
  
• Ensured users could continue performing tasks without interruption.
  
• Preserved all critical workflows and governance operations.
  

Ensuring Continuity and Governance Integrity

Murdio ensured a smooth transition by:

• Maintaining all active workflows
  
• Preventing access gaps or process failures
  
• Aligning technical changes with business requirements
  
• Preserving governance accountability and ownership
  
• Supporting long-term scalability of user roles
  

Results

The license optimization delivered clear value:

• Significant reduction in the number of paid Creator licenses
  
• Lower platform costs without sacrificing capabilities
  
• All workflows remained fully operational
  
• User access aligned with actual responsibilities
  
• Improved governance efficiency and role clarity
  
• A sustainable licensing model ready for future growth
  

Conclusion

This collaboration shows how Murdio combines deep Collibra expertise with practical business understanding to help clients optimize costs without compromising performance.

By right-sizing roles, adapting workflows, and aligning access with real use cases, we helped the client make the most of their Collibra investment efficiently and sustainably.

With a scalable licensing strategy and preserved governance processes, the organization can now continue to expand its data catalog and governance capabilities with confidence.