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DataSunrise Database Security vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs Imperva Data Security Fabric comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Database Security category, the mindshare of DataSunrise Database Security is 4.8%, down from 5.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is 27.3%, down from 32.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Imperva Data Security Fabric is 25.6%, down from 32.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database Security Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection27.3%
Imperva Data Security Fabric25.6%
DataSunrise Database Security4.8%
Other42.3%
Database Security
 

Featured Reviews

KS
Data Security Delivery Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Unified masking and discovery have protected sensitive data across hybrid production copies
I appreciate many features, including real-time database activity monitoring and auditing. In my environment, I manage numerous production systems for different applications. When teams need to copy production databases containing sensitive information such as PII, PHI, or PCI to non-production environments, I apply masking to those sensitive fields and protect the data from unauthorized users. DataSunrise Database Security's data discovery capability is another valuable tool I use to identify sensitive data.
Marylennis Franco - PeerSpot reviewer
Jefe De Continuidad Operacional at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees
Has improved data visibility and streamlined compliance reporting across multiple database platforms
The best feature is how many databases we can protect with one solution because it has compatibility with different databases, including Oracle, SQL, and DB2. The data activity monitoring feature is very good because we can check the PDS and have the information for that. We can schedule the reporting and receive it by email, which provides very important information for different areas of the company. We don't need to have a seat and a case or access to the portal, we just receive the report. The user-friendly interface is very good.
GO
Group Head of Information Security at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Automated monitoring and real-time alerts improve security incident response and compliance tasks while customizable controls need enhancements
The Imperva SecureSphere Database Security offers excellent functionalities, with numerous best features from my perspective.The simplicity of Imperva SecureSphere Database Security comes out of the box. I have utilized the detailed audit logs feature in the Imperva SecureSphere Database Security, and it has proven to be highly effective. The Imperva SecureSphere Database Security has significantly aided my organization in forensic investigations and compliance audits. The real-time alerts and remediation actions available in Imperva SecureSphere Database Security have helped me promptly address security incidents. Their customizable security controls in Imperva SecureSphere Database Security have tailored the protection level for my organization's specific needs. The automated monitoring and reporting features of the Imperva SecureSphere Database Security have contributed to simplifying compliance with regulatory standards for my organization.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The most valuable feature of DataSunrise Database Security is Dynamic Masking, as you don't need to build copies of the database, it is highly customizable, and it also has built-in algorithms or machine learning which is quite helpful because it understands the user's behaviors and patterns to apply certain policies."
"We have a law in Turkey similar to the GDPR in the European Union. It's almost like a replica. Complying with this law is crucial, and the service plays a significant role. Many customer inquiries revolve around not retaining their data. The service addresses this by providing functionality for masking data within the databases. So, if a user requests data deletion, we can remove any information we have on them within the database, ensuring compliance with the law."
"The most valuable feature of DataSunrise Database Security is Dynamic Masking. You don't need to build copies of the database and is highly customizable. It is a very good unique feature. It also has built-in algorithms, or machine learning, which is quite helpful, because it understands the user's behaviors and patterns to apply certain policies."
"My advice to others considering DataSunrise Database Security is that it is a good and unified tool."
"Setting up Guardium was easy and straightforward."
"The database activity monitoring and firewall features of Guardium address our database security requirements."
"The valuable features enable us to track all activities on the database, it has helped improve the visibility for our data usage, and it is very useful."
"Guardium is easily integrated with other IBM solutions, a significant advantage and a key reason we chose Guardium. Both platforms share the IBM infrastructure, enhancing compatibility and integration. Additionally, Guardium offers a vulnerability analyzer, which is another compelling feature of the platform."
"The maturity of the agent is the most valuable feature of the solution"
"The solution is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature is the GUI, the interface. It also interfaces well with REST API, if you want to automate some of the commands."
"IBM Guardium Data Protection is very good at keeping your database secure."
"Excellent ROI using the automated scans, especially comparing it to the manual method proposed by many vendors."
"Imperva SecureSphere Database Security is used to store data so that if there is an emergency we can restore it."
"This solution enables clients to achieve data security, whether on cloud or on prem."
"The integration with CounterBreach, which is the anomalous behavior detection feature, is the coolest thing and it's quite user friendly as far as the console goes."
"This is a stable product."
"The immediate return is that we are saving money by having a lower cost for the same functionality."
"The most valuable feature is the Data Masking."
"Ability to send event monitoring and administrative activities."
 

Cons

"DataSunrise Database Security comes out with new builds every time we have a small issue. This has made the solution not always stable."
"I believe there's room for improvement in their distributor network, especially in Turkey. This is why I was exploring alternatives to DataSunrise Database Security. However, the product itself is quite good. One suggestion for enhancement could be adding an encryption module on top of the masking features, perhaps a more permanent form of preservative encryption."
"The solution has many features but I would like to see vulnerability assessments in the next release."
"Guardium has limitations so most companies using advanced technologies have stopped using this tool because it doesn't have the capability to identify the PII data in flat files."
"Guardium Data Protection is far better in terms of external integration. But in terms of firewall features, like when you're blocking activities, it's as if Oracle AVDF simply has superior features. This is just from third-party observations, but the users of Oracle AVDF are saying that when it comes to the firewall and protection functionality, they're much more inclined to AVDF."
"Many clients inquire if the solution includes a database firewall, which it doesn’t."
"The blocking and dynamic data masking features need improvement."
"There was a slight performance tax on the system and load balancing could be better."
"I would like them to support cloud services."
"The main issue I have with IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is the support. It's not good."
"The support is not as good as it should be, and when it comes to backup or restoration activity, they can take months to respond."
"The only challenge I see is that SecureSphere is deployed on servers or databases which are held on physical infrastructure. However, there are databases which are hosted on cloud platforms and Imperva has a separate tool altogether for that, not SecureSphere."
"Its reporting can be improved. The reporting feature is currently not good enough for our clients."
"Its reporting can be improved. The reporting feature is currently not good enough for our clients."
"Some cloud versions are not supported by the agent. For example, we had a client that wanted to move to the cloud and wanted to use AWS, however, it was not possible."
"This product needs a good team of UX people, because it's not always that understandable, and sometimes it's straight up confusing."
"I'd like to see some sort of solution for storage."
"What I would like to see improved is Imperva making further development in terms of them going to the Cloud."
"It would be better if it were more user-friendly. Right now, it's a little bit of a complicated product to use. Another problem that we have is with encrypted traffic on Oracle. This is because it requires a database outage. That's a pain in the butt because you're monitoring critical systems, and they don't like outages."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive."
"IBM Guardium Data Protection charges you based on the number of users, e.g. based on the number of licenses, and it's either on a per-license or a per-data basis."
"For IBM Guardium, licensing is very simple and straightforward. There are no issues I can speak of."
"The price of the solution could be better."
"IBM solutions have fair price strategy, and operates on a yearly basis. If it's a SaaS solution, then you can opt for yearly basis."
"The price is good for the quality of the solution."
"One of the deployments that I know of had three databases, and the yearly fees are approximately $50,000 USD."
"Guardium has not saved us time or money."
"The tool is not cheap, but it is not expensive."
"The pricing is reasonably good in South Africa."
"We have all the licenses, which we pay for annually. The price is a little high, but the product is good."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis, and it is a good value for the money."
"Pricing is low and scalable to add features and volume."
"It is quite expensive. We wanted it in my former organization, but the price was very high. So, we couldn't purchase it. I moved to a different organization, and this organization has purchased it."
"The cost of support for this solution is very expensive."
"The product’s price is reasonable compared to other products."
"This is an expensive solution and the price should be reduced."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
17%
Government
10%
Retailer
6%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Computer Software Company
6%
Insurance Company
5%
Financial Services Firm
21%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business28
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise44
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business27
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise32
 

Questions from the Community

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How does IBM Guardium Data Protection compare with Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is a solution for database security from IBM that gives complete visibility, co...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Guardium Data Protection?
I don't remember the exact prices, but Guardium is an expensive tool because it is targeted towards corporate enterpr...
What do you like most about IBM Security Guardium Data Protection?
The features I like are the robust policies, which allow us to create customized monitoring based on specific activit...
What needs improvement with Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?
There are several aspects of the Imperva SecureSphere Database Security that could be improved or enhanced.There are ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
InfoSphere Guardium, Guardium, IBM Guardium
Imperva SecureSphere Database Security, jSonar, Imperva's Data Security Posture Management
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Amplify, Ivanti, Kreditech, CloudAlly
Information Not Available
BlueCross BlueShield, eHarmony, EMF Broadcasting, GE Healthcare, Metro Bank, The Motley Fool, Siemens
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM, Imperva, Oracle and others in Database Security. Updated: March 2026.
889,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.