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Data Sharing & APIs

Overview

Data Sharing & APIs define the policies, standards, and practices for exposing, exchanging, and consuming data within Nissan North America (NNA) and with external partners.
Proper governance ensures secure, compliant, and efficient data access, while enabling business agility and innovation.

Purpose

  • Facilitate internal and external data sharing with controlled access.
  • Establish standardized APIs and interfaces for data exchange.
  • Ensure security, privacy, and regulatory compliance in all data interactions.
  • Promote reusability, interoperability, and data consistency across systems and domains.

Data Sharing Principles

  1. Need-to-Know Access: Share data only with authorized users or systems.
  2. Standardized Interfaces: Use REST, GraphQL, or SOAP APIs with documented schemas.
  3. Security & Privacy: Apply authentication, authorization, encryption, and masking.
  4. Versioning & Lifecycle Management: Manage API versions and deprecate responsibly.
  5. Monitoring & Auditing: Track usage, performance, and compliance with sharing policies.
  6. Data Minimization: Share only necessary data for the intended purpose.

API & Data Sharing Standards

Standard / Practice Description
API Design Use OpenAPI / Swagger for REST; define input/output schemas and error handling
Authentication & Authorization OAuth 2.0, JWT, or enterprise IAM integration
Encryption TLS for data in transit; encrypt sensitive fields at rest
Rate Limiting & Throttling Protect systems from overuse and ensure service availability
Metadata & Documentation Provide clear data definitions, lineage, and usage guidelines
Error Handling & Logging Consistent error codes and logging for audit and troubleshooting

Data Sharing Governance Process

  1. Identify Data to Share: Determine business need and assess sensitivity/classification.
  2. Define Sharing Mechanism: APIs, secure file transfer, or data extracts.
  3. Implement Security & Privacy Controls: Authentication, encryption, masking, and auditing.
  4. Document & Publish: Provide API specifications, contracts, and usage guidelines.
  5. Monitor Usage: Track consumption, performance, errors, and compliance.
  6. Review & Update: Adjust policies, API versions, and access based on business and regulatory changes.

Roles & Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
Data Owner Approves sharing of data assets, defines access rules
Data Steward Ensures shared data meets quality, security, and privacy standards
API / Integration Team Develops, deploys, and maintains APIs; ensures performance and security
Governance Council Reviews sharing policies, approves exceptions, and monitors compliance

Tools & Technologies

  • API Management Platforms: Apigee, MuleSoft, Azure API Management
  • Secure Data Sharing Tools: SFTP, secure ETL pipelines, or cloud-based data exchange platforms
  • Monitoring & Logging: Track API usage, performance, and anomalies
  • Documentation & Catalog: Centralized repository for API specifications and metadata

Visual Representation

flowchart TD
    A[Data Owners / Systems] --> B[API Layer / Integration Services]
    B --> C[Internal Consumers]
    B --> D[External Partners]
    B --> E[Monitoring & Logging]
    C --> F[Business Analytics / Applications]
    D --> F