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IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs McAfee Vulnerability Manager for Databases [EOL] comparison

IBM and McAfee are both solutions in the Database Security category. Additionally, 85% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of McAfee users who would recommend it.
IBM Security Guardium Data ...
Read 79 IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reviews
  • 4,973 Views
  • 4,128 Comparison Views
85% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between IBM Security Guardium Data Protection and McAfee Vulnerability Manager for Databases [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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

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Database Security
December 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

IBM Security Guardium Data ...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
Database Security (1st)
McAfee Vulnerability Manage...
Average Rating
7.6
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

DP
David Plazer
Chief Executive Officer at Kipustec
Ensures data security and compliance with reliable alerts and protections
The manuals should be clearer. There needs to be an online course or tutorial for faster management training. The maintenance was slightly complicated. I had to read the manuals carefully and even failed the Guardium certification exam due to insufficient information or time. Improving the tool learning process would be beneficial.
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Wahidur Rahman - PeerSpot reviewer
Wahidur Rahman
Senior Executive Officer at United Commercial Bank Limited
The solution's activity monitoring is valuable, but it should have more integrations and updates overall
Our primary use case for this solution is activity, authentication, and scans for audit purposes and priority assessments The feature I have found most valuable is activity monitoring. McAfee has not had many legacy features. They are not updating their value adjustment.In the next feature, I'd…
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is very easy to obtain reports and manage the reporting interface."
"It's one of the first to encrypt DB2 databases."
"The tool helps detect invalid login attempts within a specific time frame."
"Ease of deployment is a valuable feature."
"One of the most valuable features is the accelerator. It has a predefined report for PCI SOX compliance and other compliances."
"I think IMB's technical support is good."
"We appreciate its ease of implementation and the local support available for the product."
"The vulnerability assessment is a valuable feature."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pros
"The support is very good. They are very quick to respond when we have issues."
"The technical support is good; they are knowledgeable."
"The feature I have found most valuable is activity monitoring."
 

Cons

"I would like to see AI and machine learning added in the future."
"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."
"Sometimes the connectors to the databases need to be manually updated and we have to configure them again, which is something that should be improved."
"Setup can be complex. The documentation is in so many different locations, and a lot of times we have to leverage support and higher level resources to figure out the right steps to take."
"It would be helpful, and convenient to improve the Chat support."
"The solution could be improved for NoSQL databases."
"More predictive, using Watson AI would be good."
"Needs easier integration with custom applications."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection cons
"Technical support could be more responsive."
"The UI needs to be improved."
"In the next feature, I'd like to see more integrations and updates overall, specifically bottom tech."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"​If you are researching this type of solution, work with IBM."
"We haven't talked much about pricing and licencing. But it is not cheap for sure"
"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."
"The cost depends on the number of databases. You can purchase advanced licenses, but the standard license is calculated based on the number of databases you have to onboard."
"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."
"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."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pricing and cost advice
"It's not expensive compared to other products that are available."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
26%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Insurance Company
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business28
Midsize Enterprise15
Large Enterprise45
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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
Ask a question
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Comparisons

Imperva Data Security Fabric vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Logo
Imperva Data Security Fabric vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
Compared 52% of the time
Oracle Audit Vault vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Logo
Oracle Audit Vault vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
Compared 16% of the time
DataSunrise Database Security vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Logo
DataSunrise Database Security vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
Compared 4% of the time
OpenText Data Privacy and Protection Foundation (Voltage) vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Logo
OpenText Data Privacy and Protection Foundation (Voltage) vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
Compared 4% of the time
IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Privacy vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Logo
IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Privacy vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
Compared 4% of the time
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Competitors
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
December 2025
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reportDownload IBM Security Guardium Data Protection product report
Buyer's Guide
Database Security
December 2025
McAfee Vulnerability Manager for Databases [EOL] reportDownload McAfee Vulnerability Manager for Databases [EOL] product report
 

Also Known As

InfoSphere Guardium, Guardium, IBM Guardium
No data available
 

Overview

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection offers automatic discovery and classification of sensitive data, real-time monitoring, and advanced analytics to identify unusual activities around data.

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is designed to safeguard sensitive data across enterprises with real-time activity monitoring and comprehensive security features. Its capabilities include data discovery, classification, and compliance automation with pre-built templates for regulations like PCI, SOX, HIPAA, and CCPA. Supporting a variety of platforms, it facilitates seamless monitoring, making it a valuable asset for diverse environments in maintaining data security and compliance.

What are the key features?
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Provides alerts for unauthorized activities.
  • Data Masking: Protects data through masking techniques.
  • Access Control: Ensures only authorized users gain access.
  • Query Rewriting: Alters queries to maintain data integrity.
  • Platform Support: Monitors across multiple environments.
Why consider this for ROI?
  • Ease of Deployment: Simplifies the setup process for enterprises.
  • Robust Reporting: Enhances transparency through detailed audit trails.
  • Compliance Automation: Streamlines compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Risk Management: Identifies and mitigates potential risks efficiently.

Industries like banking and finance utilize IBM Security Guardium Data Protection to enhance database security and compliance efforts. Enterprises employ it to detect incidents and manage vulnerabilities, focusing on protecting customer data and maintaining privacy standards. The technology aids in incident detection and supports adherence to security regulations.

IBM

McAfee Vulnerability Manager for Databases automatically discovers databases on your network, determines if the latest patches have been applied, and tests for common weaknesses.

McAfee
Buyer's Guide
Database Security
December 2025
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