Download BizDataX vs SQL scripts Comparison

SQL Scripts vs. BizDataX
This comparison sheet provides better insight into the differences when using database scripts (like PL/SQL and T-SQL)
versus the BizDataX platform for data anonymization and test data management purposes.
Most organizations understand that data anonymization can help meet their duty to protect the company’s sensitive information, but they also must decide
whether to build or buy a data anonymization solution. Building a homegrown solution usually includes writing database scripts for different database
engines. And although scripts seem to be an efficient way to mask data because they are usually written by experienced DBAs who do not need to be paid
extra for this task, experience shows quite the opposite. Here is the comparison sheet with key differences between scripts and the BizDataX platform.
Feature
Reusability
Transparency
Database scripts
Because of the tight connection between database scripts and the
associated database, the scripts would have to be re-written from
scratch if applied to another database. There are no common
capabilities in a script that can be easily leveraged across other
databases and database engines.
BizDataX packages are database and database engine-invariant and the
same package can be applied to a number of databases as long as the
database schema remains the same.
BizDataX supports DB2, Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase and any many other
relational databases on various Windows, UNIX and Linux platforms. It
also supports Office files, XML and Text files.
Since scripts tend to be monolithic programs, auditors have no
transparency into the anonymization procedures used in the
scripts. The auditors would find it extremely difficult to offer any
recommendation on whether the anonymization process built into
a script is secure and offers the enterprise the appropriate degree
of protection.
BizDataX packages are modeled within the Microsoft’s Visual Studio
Workflow Editor, making it a very comfortable and transparent tool for
auditors to check the anonymization procedures in a structured
WYSIWYG environment.
Feature
Centralized
management
Maintainability
Database scripts
Database scripts depend on a particular database engine and are
executed within the management tools of that database engine.
There is no easy way to automate and manage script execution
within a heterogeneous environment comprised of many database
engines.
When enterprise applications are upgraded, new tables and columns
containing sensitive data may be added as part of the upgrade
process. With a script-based approach, the entire script has to be
revisited and updated to accommodate new tables and columns
added as part of an application patch or an upgrade.
BizDataX Runtime is an enterprise management tool that enables
management of all BizDataX Jobs across the organization. It features rolebased security, execution history, data anonymization job scheduling and
monitoring (see the ‘Monitoring data anonymization process’ feature
below).
BizDataX enables an easy and efficient update of the workflows within the
Workflow Editor. Tight integration between BizDataX and the Microsoft
ALM solution (Visual Studio and TFS) enables workflow versioning, helping
auditors and business analysts to track historical changes within the data
anonymization project.
Developing data anonymization scripts can be tedious and lengthy
process for several reasons:
BizDataX is designed to effectively build and execute data anonymization
packages:
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Development cost
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It involves implementation of a number of algorithms, such
as credit card number generation and date manipulation to
name a few, to support creation of near-real data.
Implementation of general data anonymization techniques,
such as subsetting, redaction (blacking-out), randomization,
generalization and shuffling is quite complex. These
techniques involve considerable development effort with
emphasis on performance issues on large data sets.
Additional development challenges like preserving
referential integrity between tables and even between
various databases, repeatability and parallel execution of
the data anonymization packages tend to occupy significant
amount of possibly scarce resources.
Reusability and transparency issues will add up to
development time and it could last for weeks if not months
before dedicated resources (in case organization has
dedicated resources for the data anonymization project)
complete the first viable data anonymization version.
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It ships with a number of algorithms needed for data
anonymization, data subsetting and synthetic data generation to
speed up development of the workflow.
All general data anonymization techniques are already part of the
BizDataX toolset and could be implemented with a simple
drag’n’drop within the Workflow Editor.
Referential integrity, repeatability and shuffling, to mention a
few, are standard features of the tool; including them in a data
anonymization logic is as easy as a few mouse clicks.
BizDataX supports parallel execution of workflows while
algorithms are already optimized for data anonymization on large
data sets.
New, custom-made algorithms can be developed using objectoriented languages like C# which will reduce development time.
If organization’s data anonymization resources are scarce, the
BizDataX Professional Services Team can help speed up the
development time, meeting the project deadline and lowering the
development cost.
Feature
Database scripts
Scripts must be provided with tracking logic to enable status data
to occur during the script execution.
BizDataX Runtime enables monitoring of separate activities during the
data anonymization process execution (BizDataX Job) and includes the
option of sending emails to authorized personnel in case of success or
failure of each of these activities. A historical log is maintained for all
initiated BizDataX Jobs. BizDataX also enables scheduling of jobs (e.g.
in non-working hours).
Compared to BizDataX, development and management of the
database scripts for the purpose of data anonymization has a
much higher TCO. The time consuming and resource intensive
nature of homegrown data anonymization solutions ultimately
leads to a new set of costly problems associated with reusability,
maintainability and development costs. In many cases, while
database staff is able to produce a subset of anonymized data,
the time and resources needed to manipulate the production
data are significant. Furthermore, the resulting database script
solution is typically limited to the specific application, difficult to
adapt to changing requirements and lacking the best practice
techniques of a commercial data anonymization solution.
BizDataX represents a full-fledged data anonymization and test data
management platform, with built-in logic to implement even the most
complex data anonymization, data subsetting and data generation
scenario. It meets all advanced data anonymization requirements, such
as transparency, maintainability, centralized management, multidatabase and multi-platform support. Along with its highly attractive
licensing policy, BizDataX offers the best price/performance value on
the test data management market.
Monitoring data
anonymization process
Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO)
Contact
Ekobit d.o.o., Koturaška 69, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia, EU
Phone: +385 1 6312 620
Web: http://www.ekobit.com/, E-Mail: [email protected]
www.BizDataX.com