Working with Infosphere Optim data masking solution processing CSV, XML, and ECM formats

Brief introduction

Infosphere Optim Data Masking Solution provides a way to mask the personal information used in a data source. It gives you a way to use lifelike but fictitious data for testing purposes. In previous versions of Infosphere Optim, you could have extracted the data (. XF) to convert or mask to another dataset, or extract them into a business object (CSV) file. The business object (CSV) file format enables all table data to be stored as a single record in a CSV file. Starting with Optim 8.1 and later, you will not only be able to convert the extracted data into CSV, XML, or enterprise content Management (ECM) data formats, but you can also mask the data when you convert the data to those formats. This new feature is useful for users who consider using CSV or XML as a data source to meet their various needs, including direct access to these data sources through their current application.

These data formats (CSV, XML, and ECM) have several parameters that can be easily configured. In the following sections, you will learn more about how to configure these parameters.

The following scenario demonstrates how to use this new masking feature.

Scene

In our example scenario, the ABC company wanted to send the data to another company, "XYZ." Company ABC has a Optim environment, but company XYZ does not. In such a scenario, company ABC cannot send data in the form of an extract/archive file, because company XYZ does not have the same environment. To resolve this issue, company ABC can use the database load utility to convert data stored in the extraction or archive into CSV, XML, or ECM format. You can then import the data into the XYZ database. In addition, using these formats, you can mask data to meet data privacy requirements and protect data.

Difference between a business object (CSV) file and a CSV file format

After converting the source file to a business object (CSV) file, you can open it in a text editor, all the selected columns are listed as a single table and a single file, and each table in the source file is converted to a separate CSV file when you use the comma-separated value (CSV) format.

When you use the business object (CSV) file format, you cannot mask the source file, but you can mask the CSV source file.

In the business object (CSV) file format, you cannot choose to use threshold limits (such as file size, number of files, and number of rows) to control the target file data, and in the CSV file format, you can use these threshold limits to control the target file data.

When using the business object (CSV) file format, you cannot choose to use metadata options such as start/end tags and header/field/string delimiters to control target file data, and you cannot choose to create separate destination files for these types when there are XML/LOB data types in the source data. In the CSV file format, you can use metadata options such as start/end tags and header/field/string delimiters to create target files, or you can create separate target files for these types when there are XML/LOB data types in the source data.

Differences between business Objects (XML) and XML file formats

In the business object (XML) file format, the source file is converted to an XML file, which can be opened in XML format, and all the selected columns are listed as a single table and a single file. In the XML file format, each table in the source file can be converted to a separate XML file.

The source file cannot be masked in the business object (XML) file format, and the source file converted to an XML file can be masked in the XML file format.

In the business object (XML) file format, you cannot choose to use threshold limits (such as file size, number of files, and number of rows) to control the target file data, and in the XML file format, you can use these threshold limits to control the target file data.

In the business object (XML) file format, if the Xml/lob data type exists in the source data, you cannot choose to create a separate target file for those types to control the target file data, whereas in the XML file format, if there is a Xml/lob data type in the source data, You cannot choose to create separate destination files for these types.

Understanding ECM File Formats

Enterprise Content Management (ECM) only supports the archiving of files as a single file when converting data, while the CSV file format supports the archiving and extraction files as source files when converting data. ECM supports external functionality similar to the CSV file format, but the following archive metadata values are added:

Archive file name

Archived file GUID

Archive Request Description

Creation time

The ECM format has the following features:

In ECM format, each table in the source file can be converted to a separate ECM file.

The ECM file format supports data masking.

In ECM format, users can choose to use threshold limits (such as file size, number of files, and number of rows) to control the target file data.

In the ECM file format, you can choose to create the target file using metadata options such as start/end tags and header/field/string separators, archive name, archive GUID, archive request description, and creation time, and when Xml/lob data types exist in the source file, You can also create separate target files for these types.