Which benefit of metadata helps in maintaining data integrity over time?

The benefit of metadata that supports maintaining data integrity over time is data quality. Metadata provides essential information about the data, including its origin, format, and how it has been modified or processed. This information is critical for ensuring that data can be trusted and used reliably.

When metadata includes thorough descriptions and attributes related to the data quality, such as accuracy, consistency, and updates, it helps users understand the data's reliability. High-quality metadata allows organizations to monitor and maintain the integrity of the data over time by tracking changes and ensuring that only accurate and verified data is utilized for decision-making. Additionally, metadata can inform users about the proper usage and limitations of the data, thereby enhancing its overall quality and integrity.

In contrast, while contextualization, search and retrieval, and compliance and security are important aspects of metadata, they do not directly address the ongoing maintenance of the integrity of data in terms of quality assurance and validation.