If you remove the configuration of the SMTP server while you are in development, (the current solution to spamming users with notifications during the setup period of the data catalog) then put the SMTP server configuration back in when you are finished setup, all the changes that have happened in the interim will not be sent as a bulk send. This a risk when an email server is unavailable for a period of time that notifications for changes/comments/tasks will be missed.
Once the ability to switch notifications on and off is implemented, I think it would be worth reviewing how feasible this is.