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Denodo vs IBM Cloud Pak for Data comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 14, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Denodo
Ranking in Data Integration
8th
Ranking in Data Virtualization
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Data Integration (5th)
IBM Cloud Pak for Data
Ranking in Data Integration
25th
Ranking in Data Virtualization
3rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Data Virtualization category, the mindshare of Denodo is 27.2%, down from 40.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Cloud Pak for Data is 14.1%, down from 16.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Virtualization Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Denodo27.2%
IBM Cloud Pak for Data14.1%
Other58.7%
Data Virtualization
 

Featured Reviews

Atanu Chatterjee - PeerSpot reviewer
Data virtualization and integration enabled while caching and scalability room for improvement
In terms of improvements for Denodo, regarding performance, in cases where there are multiple virtualizations—such as reading from one Denodo view that is virtualized, and from that view there's also virtualization, and another team is reading from that view—if multiple virtualizations happen with no caching in between, it becomes slow. This occurs because it is cascading; whenever at the top level someone is reading data, that request is getting cascaded to the nth level, causing issues, especially in cases such as Power BI reports. We need to consider implementing some persistent layer in between. The scaling process should improve because many things are getting automated. The scale-out part needs to be automated, though I am uncertain whether Denodo has already implemented that feature.
Michelle Leslie - PeerSpot reviewer
Starts strong with data management capabilities but needs a demo database
What I would love to see is an end-to-end, almost a training demo database of some sort, where one of the biggest problems with data management is demonstrated. There are so many components to data management, and more often than not, people understand one thing really well. They may understand DataStage and how to move data around, but they do not see the impact of moving data incorrectly. They also do not see the impact of everyone understanding a piece of data in the same way. I would love Cloud Pak to come with a demo database that illustrates the different components of data management in a logical way, so I can see the whole picture instead of just the area I'm specializing in. It would be great if Cloud Pak, from a data modeling point of view, allowed us to import our PDMs, for example. It would be ideal to import and create business terms in Cloud Pak. The PEA would be great to create the technical data. The association between the business and the technical metadata could then be automated by pulling it through from your ACE models. The data modeling component is available in Cloud Pak. Additionally, when it comes to Cloud Pak, even though it has the NextGen DataStage built into it, there is Cloud Pak for data integration as well. Currently, I do not think we have a full enough understanding of how CP4D and CP4I can enhance each other.

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 is the performance. Denodo is very useful, especially in this huge pharma environment. I've found that older SAP solutions were very tightly coupled to each other, which resulted in data restrictions. Getting data from different sources was tough and tedious. Compared to these old solutions, Denodo is very easy to work with for the analytical team. Now that we've implemented this virtualization layer, we are capable of getting the data very smoothly. We implemented a very small unit, but the performance and integration have been very good."
"Access to numerous forums and internet information."
"Denodo makes it easy to export data as a service or data link to other services."
"Denodo provides several server connectivity options with other tools such as ODPC and UDPC. It supports API integrations, allowing integration with a wide range of databases using different technologies, including NoSQL and relational databases."
"The ability to connect to a lot of different sources."
"It provides useful APIs and integrates with other systems."
"The logical data warehouse functionality is fantastic. It truly stands out. The ClearOptimizer and Virtual Cache are great features. They work together seamlessly to optimize performance."
"The most valuable features of Denodo are the extraction option for adapters, and there are many things for the views, that are cached. Denodo is not storing the data, it looks first to tune the query, and these things are for the agents."
"The most valuable feature of IBM Cloud Pak for Data is the Modeler flows. The ability to develop models using a graphical approach and the capability to connect to various sources, as well as the data virtualization capabilities, allow me to easily access and utilize data that is dispersed across different sources."
"What I found most helpful in IBM Cloud Pak for Data is containerization, which means it's easy to shift and leave in terms of moving to other clouds. That's an advantage of IBM Cloud Pak for Data."
"Cloud Pak is a very, very, very good system."
"You can model the data there, connect the data models with the business processes and create data lineage processes."
"One of Cloud Pak's best features is the Watson Knowledge Catalog, which helps you implement data governance."
"It is a scalable solution, and we have had no issues with its scalability in our company. I rate the solution's scalability a nine out of ten."
"Cloud Pak's most valuable features are IBM MQ, IBM App Connect, IBM API Connect, and ISPF."
"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine or ten out of ten."
 

Cons

"I would like to see a connectivity option with third-party apps, for example, JDBC, and ODBC drivers. Currently, we need to install it separately from the Denodo side and then connect it."
"We occasionally have some integration issues that we need to work through."
"I am still waiting for Denodo to support vector databases."
"Denodo currently integrates with ChatGPT, but the ability to manage and utilize them directly within Denodo would be a significant improvement."
"The data catalog certainly has room for improvement. It is functional but we look forward to development. We are in constant contact with Denodo and they are fully aware of our needs."
"There are a couple of areas that can be improved in Denodo. From a stability point of view, sometimes we see issues in the data management functionality. This only happens now and then, however, and usually takes place when we add in our own customization."
"Performance management could be improved."
"The dropdown menus feel antiquated to me, and the administrative portals need improvement."
"Cloud Pak would be improved with integration with cloud service providers like Cloudera."
"There is a solution that is part of IBM Cloud Pak for Data called Watson OpenScale. It is used to monitor the deployed models for the quality and fairness of the results. This is one area that needs a lot of improvement."
"The solution could have more connectors."
"The setup cost is very expensive. The cost depends on the pieces of the solution I'm using, how much data I have, and whether it's on the cloud or on-prem."
"One thing that bugs me is how much infrastructure Cloud Pak requires for the initial deployment. It doesn't allow you to start small. The smallest permitted deployment is too big. It's a huge problem that prevents us from implementing the solution in many scenarios."
"The interface could improve because sometimes it becomes slow. Sometimes there is a delay between clicks when using the software, which can make the development process slow. It can take a few seconds to complete one action, and then a few more seconds to do the next one."
"The solution's user experience is an area that has room for improvement."
"The tool depends on the control plane, an OpenShift container platform utilized as an orchestration layer...So, we have communicated this issue to IBM and asked if it is feasible to adapt the solution to work on a Kubernetes platform that we support."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost for Denodo is in line with other similar products."
"I don't know the actual cost, but it's tens of thousands of dollars per month."
"Depending on the size of the client you want to work with, it can be prohibitively expensive at times."
"Cost wise, on a scale from one to five, with one being the cheapest and five being the most expensive, Denodo would be at three. We get all the features in a bundle."
"The pricing is pretty good, and I would rate it at four out of five."
"Denodo provides a lightweight 30-day free trial, but when we do courses on top of it, it costs $150 for each person."
"There is an express edition and a licensed enterprise edition."
"Talking with my manager and others, nobody has complained about the pricing so far which is a positive sign."
"For the licensing of the solution, there is a yearly payment that needs to be made. Also, since it is expensive, cost-wise, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten."
"Cloud Pak's cost is a little high."
"The solution's pricing is competitive with that of other vendors."
"The solution is expensive."
"I don't have the exact licensing cost for IBM Cloud Pak for Data, as my company is still finalizing requirements, including monthly, yearly, and three-year licensing fees. Still, on a scale of one to five, I'd rate it a three because, compared to other vendors, it's more complicated."
"I think that this product is too expensive for smaller companies."
"It's quite expensive."
"IBM Cloud Pak for Data is expensive. If we include the training time and the machine learning, it's expensive. The cost of the execution is more reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
23%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
30%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise19
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Large Enterprise8
 

Questions from the Community

Does Denodo provide useful data virtualization education? Is it useful to attend their training?
If you are a Denodo user, it makes sense to undergo their training. Different types of professionals can benefit from it, including administrators, developers, and architects. If you are keen on i...
In experience, what might Denodo be lacking or need improvement on?
I like Denodo a lot. It offers quick and easy web service deployment within minutes. There are not any flaws that I think make the product less good or effective. The only thing I can point out is...
Which industries can benefit from Denodo the most?
Denodo is suitable for pretty much all sectors that deal with: Big data Cloud solutions Data governance Logical data fabric Master data management In my opinion, organizations in different fields...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Cloud Pak for Data?
The setup cost is very expensive. The cost depends on the pieces of the solution I'm using, how much data I have, and whether it's on the cloud or on-prem.
What needs improvement with IBM Cloud Pak for Data?
What I would love to see is an end-to-end, almost a training demo database of some sort, where one of the biggest problems with data management is demonstrated. There are so many components to data...
What is your primary use case for IBM Cloud Pak for Data?
My primary use case for Cloud Pak is that I am the reference Data steward for the Africa regions in the banks where I work. My main objective is to capture the reference data in Caltech or Data and...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Cloud Pak for Data
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Autodesk, VHA, AAA, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Caterpillar, European Chemical Agency, Seagate, Nationwide, Time Warner Cable, Pantex, Inditex, BNSF Railways, Vodafone, CIT Group, Jazztel, Wolters Kluwer, Telefonica, TransAlta
Qatar Development Bank, GuideWell, Skanderborg Music Festival
Find out what your peers are saying about Denodo vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Data and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
867,349 professionals have used our research since 2012.