Fortra's Vera vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection comparison

Fortra and IBM are both solutions in the Database Security category. Fortra is ranked #9 with an average rating of 9.0, while IBM is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7. Fortra holds a 0.6% mindshare in DS, compared to IBM’s 31.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Fortra's Vera

Read 1 Fortra's Vera review

148 Views
86 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

Read 78 IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reviews

5,040 Views
4,133 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Fortra's Vera

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Fortra's Vera and IBM Security Guardium Data Protection based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM, Imperva, Oracle and others in Database Security.

To learn more, read our detailed Database Security Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Database Security

July 2025

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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

Fortra's Vera

Ranking in Database Security

9th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud and Data Center Security (14th)

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

Ranking in Database Security

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Database Security category, the mindshare of Fortra's Vera is 0.6%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is 31.8%, up from 31.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Security

Featured Reviews

Brando Diego

System Engineer/Consultant at Notable Frontier Sdn Bhd

Has good encryption features

Vera encryption is the most valuable feature. Additional improvement can be done as the issues are encountered. I have been using Fortra's Vera for two years. The stability is a nine out of ten. The scalability is a nine. The clients are small enterprises. The initial setup is an eight…

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Jared Ochieng

Information Technology Security Specialist at infoark

Used for monitoring database activity and tracking databases

The response time could be improved. Navigating support for the solution can be challenging, especially when finding the right contact for specialized issues. Improvements could make raising tickets and identifying the correct support channels easier. While general support information is provided, specialized support may require contacting different teams. We guide our clients through this process to ensure they know where to turn for various needs. Typically, we are the first point of contact for any issues, big or small, and then direct them to the appropriate resources. The quality of technical support largely depends on the expertise of the partner who implemented the solution. If you have a partner who is well-versed in IBM, the technical support is usually excellent. If not, support might be less reliable.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Vera encryption is the most valuable feature."

"We use IBM Guardium to support security initiatives and combine policies within the organization."

"The investment return was good because IBM Security Guardium Data Protection provided significant security and compliance benefits."

"Compliance Quick Start – Quick, GUI, step-by-step guide to automate compliance and give the customer a quick ROI."

"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."

"Gathering the data works very well. "

"It is very easy to obtain reports and manage the reporting interface."

"It's one of the first to encrypt DB2 databases."

"The most valuable feature for me, in my role as systems DBA, is the expediting of internal and external audits."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pros

Cons

"Additional improvement can be done as the issues are encountered."

"The additional improvement can be done as the issues are encountered."

"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."

"Deployment process is very complicated as you need to now all advanced parameters. Almost not possible to figure out for yourself."

"The deployment is complex and requires expertise to deploy."

"The solution should allow the data to shift to a centralized repository with elastic servers and big data infrastructure"

"I would like to see a lot of additional reporting and analytics features. They have basic outlier detection, but I would love to see that go further, and model it after analytics tools like Splunk."

"It needs an integration with Optum."

"More automation, user guides, and tips would make this solution better."

"The documentation could be better."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"Reasonable cost but could be lower."

"I would suggest to review the type of data, need for security, and if the organizational structure needs the options IBM Guardium provides."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is low price, and ten is very high price, I rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten."

"If you are researching this type of solution, work with IBM."

"The price of Guardium is higher than the main competitor, Imperva. In addition, it's complex as the calculation of the licensing is done by Processor Value Unit (PVU). However, before purchasing a DAP solution, it is important to analyze specific points to evaluate the cost-benefit of each tool. For example: Does the environment to be monitored have mainframes? If so, it's a point for Guardium. If not, a point for Imperva. Note: IBM is looking into a new licensing policy and reducing the price of Guardium."

"It is not an expensive product. We purchase its yearly license."

"The price of the solution could be better."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

28%

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Fortra's Vera?

Vera encryption is the most valuable feature.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortra's Vera?

Additional improvement can be done as the issues are encountered.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Fortra's Vera?

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

See all answers

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, control, and analysis to secure sensitive data and comply with regulations. IBM S...

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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 enterprises.

See all answers

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 activities.

See all answers

Comparisons

No data available

Imperva SecureSphere Database Security vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 50% of the time

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Compared 19% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

Trustwave DbProtect vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 4% of the time

IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Privacy vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 3% of the time

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Database Security

July 2025

Download Fortra's Vera product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

August 2025

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection report

Download IBM Security Guardium Data Protection product report

Also Known As

No data available

InfoSphere Guardium, Guardium, IBM Guardium

Overview

The Vera platform enables businesses of all sizes to protect any kind of data, and then track, audit and manage the policies securing files in real-time, no matter how far they travel.

Fortra

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection automatically discovers and classifies sensitive data from across the enterprise, providing real-time data activity monitoring and advanced user behavior analytics to help discover unusual activity around sensitive data.

Deploy the solution to help discover regulated data in your data stores and use pre-built templates for regulations such as PCI, SOX, HIPAA, CCPA and many more, to streamline and automate compliance workflows.

IBM

Sample Customers

Box

Information Not Available

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM, Imperva, Oracle and others in Database Security. Updated: July 2025.

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