TestBench for IBM i vs. Oracle Data Masking and Subsetting

Managing and testing data for IBM i, IBM iSeries, and AS/400 systems necessitates a meticulous approach to validating intricate applications, right down to the data they rely on. TestBench for IBM i provides a powerful and dependable framework for managing test data, verifying its integrity, and conducting unit tests, all while integrating effortlessly with other tools to enhance overall application quality. Rather than replicating the entire production database, you can concentrate on the critical data necessary for your testing operations. By selecting or sampling relevant data without compromising referential integrity, you can optimize the testing workflow. It becomes straightforward to pinpoint which data fields need protection, allowing you to implement various obfuscation methods to ensure data security. Furthermore, you can keep track of every data operation, including inserts, updates, and deletions, as well as their intermediate states. Establishing automatic alerts for data abnormalities through customizable rules can greatly minimize the need for manual monitoring. This methodology eliminates the cumbersome save and restore processes, clarifying any discrepancies in test outcomes that may arise from insufficient initial data. While comparing outputs remains a standard practice for validating test results, it can be labor-intensive and prone to errors; however, this cutting-edge solution can significantly cut down on the time required for testing, resulting in a more efficient overall process. With TestBench, not only can you improve your testing precision, but you can also conserve valuable resources, allowing for a more streamlined development cycle. Ultimately, adopting such innovative tools can lead to enhanced software quality and more reliable deployment outcomes.

In response to escalating security threats and the implementation of strict privacy regulations, a more vigilant strategy for managing sensitive information has become essential. Oracle Data Masking and Subsetting provides database professionals with a robust solution that not only fortifies security but also simplifies compliance measures and reduces IT costs by sanitizing copies of production data for various applications, including testing and development, while also enabling the elimination of unnecessary data. This innovative tool facilitates the extraction, obfuscation, and sharing of comprehensive and selective data sets with partners, regardless of whether they are internal or external to the organization, thereby maintaining the integrity of the database and ensuring that applications function smoothly. Furthermore, Application Data Modeling plays a crucial role by automatically detecting columns in Oracle Database tables that hold sensitive information using predefined discovery patterns, such as national IDs and credit card numbers, which are critical for protecting personal information. In addition, it is capable of identifying and mapping parent-child relationships structured within the database, significantly improving the efficacy of data management practices. Overall, these features enhance the organization’s ability to safeguard sensitive data while facilitating better data governance.