Tools from Redgate Suite for E2E masking

Arun72

Hi ,

I recently started working on Redgate SQL Server Data Masker. While working with this I came to know there are some other tools that can support different stages of masking process. I am listing the tools below as per my understanding, please let me know If my understanding is not right and also any other tool that I am missing from the Redgate Suite to perform E2E masking/Obfuscation.

SQL Clone----------------To make copies and refresh lower environments
SQL Data Catalog------To scan the DB and provide the sensitive fields within the defined DBs
SQL Data Masker-------To perform Data Masking
SQL Compare-----Data Validation(not sure though)

Thanks,
Arun

PlantBasedSQL

Good morning @Arun72
Thank you for your post!

You're absolutely right that the Redgate tools are intended to be as helpful End To End as possible, so you're correct in that the flow should be as follows:

1 - SQL Data Catalog - get the databases you wish to protect classified and tagged
2 - Data Masker for SQL Server - Once you know the sensitivity of your databases and tables, use Data Masker to generate masking sets either manually by hand or automatically generate substitution rules directly from data catalog
3 - SQL Clone - Hand this masking set to SQL Clone which will create a single, sanitized "Image" (A VHDX file) and from that Image you can create dozens (even hundreds) of low time & space footprint clones for dev and test workflows

Which gives you the full Prod -> Dev/Test/UAT flow without taking up a lot of space and whilst keeping your data safe.

Another use of the Data Catalog is compliance through DevOps. As you deploy changes up towards production, for instance, you could add in checks that call Data Catalogs REST API or PowerShell module to check if all columns in Pre-Prod had been classified and only approve the deployment to Prod if this were the case, otherwise failing and getting developers to correct this prior to deployment. A large amount of this process can also be automated.

I'm not sure that I would put SQL Compare or SQL Data Compare in the same category, however. You absolutely COULD use it to validate the data had been masked, but Data Masker produces reports during the masking run anyway, which satisfies most people in that sense.

If you want a bit more of a run down of the Redgate capabilities and how t hey can help you out moving forwards I would recommend contacting your account manager - either I can let them know or you can reach out - just let me know what you prefer

Let me know if you have any further questions - thank you very much!
Kindest

Arun72

Hi @PlantBasedSQL

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation.

I will be having a meeting with the tool support team, just wanted to have some things ready before going to that meet.

Thank you,
Arun