Leading Data Masking Vendor Announces New Enhancements To Data Masking and Obfuscation Solution
Grid-Tools Ltd, the leading vendor in data masking solutions for testing and development, launches version 2.6 of Datamaker

OXFORD, ENGLAND, January 24, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Grid-Tools Limited, the leading vendor of data masking and test data solutions for non-production environments, announces the enhancement of their signature test data management solution, GT Datamaker.

In the new release 2.6 of GT Datamaker , Grid-Tools will offer separate components which target the data masking needs of different customers. From simple, inexpensive and easy-to-use obfuscation solutions for 'quick fixes', to customizable solutions for large and sophisticated infrastructures, version 2.6 has come full-circle.

"We appreciate each customer may have a different need and different reasons for confronting compliance. One customer could have a simple Oracle database with a few thousand rows of sensitive data, whilst another may be struggling with five or six different databases and mainframes which are all interconnected. It was important for us to take into consideration that some customers require a fast and easy fix, whist others will be battling or changing their entire infrastructure. With components like Fast Data Masking and GT Data Mask running alongside GT Datamaker , we are now able to support customers with different needs and requirements," commented Huw Price, Grid-Tools Managing Director.

Data masking is the process of de-identifying or obfuscating production data so it can be used securely and anonymously outside of a live environment. Provisioning non-production environments using data masking can help organizations comply with regulations like HIPAA, the PCI DSS, the GLBA and the DPA. The process of masking data is generally used for testing, development, training and QA projects - all areas in which Grid-Tools specialize.
Grid-Tools also offer the ability to create synthetic or 'fake' data, a compelling alternative to masking for customers with highly sensitive data and strict data regulations. Datamaker 'creates' data through a sophisticated modelling and sampling process unique to the IT industry. Version 2.6 also offers enhancements to the data creation component.

"We've been contacted by a number of large companies, mainly government agencies, who are not able to access their production data at all - not even to gather data for testing and development. This is generally a result of the serious and consequential sensitivity of the data in existence", Huw also stated. "We can actually create data where no data exists based on a model of their database. Most companies do not realize that this is an option. It is far more secure than data masking, as we never use 'live' data."

For more information about data creation, data masking and Grid-Tools solutions like Fast Data Masking , GT Data Mask and GT Datamaker , contact Grid-Tools at: UK: 44 (0) 1865 884 600 or USA: 1-866-563-3120. Visit the Grid-Tools website at: www.grid-tools.com.

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Jessica Jones
Grid-Tools
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