That’s where secure access service edge (SASE) technology comes in. SASE can create a perimeter between an organization’s private network and public networks like the internet, which could otherwise be exposed to potential attackers.

Just as on-premises security has been consolidating under broad extended detection and response (XDR) solutions, security outside the firewall is increasingly getting combined into SASE solutions.

What is Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?

​​Secure access service edge is a term coined by Gartner that refers to the convergence of network and security services into a single platform delivered as a service. SASE – pronounced “sassy” – consolidates and offers security services from a large-scale cloud network, including cloud access security brokers (CASB), secure web gateways, and firewalls as a service (FWaaS).

This shift is being driven by the need for organizations to provide better security and performance for their remote users. At the same time, they are looking for ways to reduce costs and increase flexibility in managing access to cloud-based applications. SASE provides end-to-end access control across wired, wireless, and mobile networks.

Also read: Deploying SASE: What You Should Know to Secure Your Network

How Does SASE Work?

SASE is a cloud-based security solution that offers a comprehensive set of security tools and services. SASE consolidates these tools and services into a single, easy-to-use platform, making it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. It provides the industry’s most advanced authentication, encryption, identity management, and access control features in one unified interface.

With robust reporting capabilities as well as multiple levels of granularity when configuring settings, organizations can make informed decisions on how they want their network secured while also meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

Organizations can quickly define who has access to what data without compromising performance. In addition, SASE helps mitigate insider threats by enabling federated identification to help ensure employees can only see data they have been granted access to.

Components of SASE

SASE includes a suite of enterprise-grade applications and software components that offer an integrated solution for securing remote access. The key components of SASE include:

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN)

SD-WAN provides secure, high-performance IP connectivity to branch offices, data centers, and other networks across public or private cloud infrastructure. SD-WAN simplifies the design and operation of wide area networks (WAN) by automatically routing traffic based on application type, performance needs, security requirements, cost constraints, quality of service (QoS), and network topology changes — without any manual configuration or changes to applications or the underlying transport network.

SD-WAN enables enterprises to securely extend their existing network to the cloud, public internet, or third-party networks without needing expensive VPN hardware. It is often more cost-effective than MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) over time.

Firewall as a service

A firewall as a service enables enterprises to centrally manage their organization’s firewall policies and protections regardless of where those endpoints are located in the organization — centralized, distributed or mobile. FWaaS provides a complete firewall service with robust data security and user privacy protection capabilities by leveraging next-generation firewall (NGFW) technology.

Zero-trust network access (ZTNA)

ZTNA is a robust access control framework that eliminates traditional barriers between internal resources and users who wish to connect outside the network. With ZTNA, IT administrators maintain complete visibility into all connections made through the network with granular detail about who is accessing what resources at what time while eliminating complexity and costly upfront investments. ZTNA ensures only approved devices can connect to corporate resources across all applications to protect against rogue devices and other threats.

See the Top Zero Trust Security Solutions & Software

Cloud access security broker (CASB)

CASB can help organizations meet compliance obligations related to information protection through authentication, authorization, monitoring, and reporting. CASBs also provide identity and access management capabilities, single sign-on (SSO) services, regulatory oversight, GDPR, fraud detection tools, SaaS app control, and more.

Data loss prevention (DLP)

DLP helps protect critical business assets such as intellectual property and sensitive customer data from unauthorized use by detecting when they leave your company’s network perimeter — intentionally or unintentionally. DLP protects against insider threats, too, by identifying inappropriate behaviors such as downloading confidential documents to removable media devices. DLP functionality includes encryption, classification, policy creation, and key management.

See the Top DLP Tools

Secure web gateway (SWG)

SWG features multilayered protections to provide customers maximum flexibility in balancing web security concerns with the organizational need for web accessibility. SWG offers multiple web filter profiles for enabling organizations to configure their ideal balance of content restrictions and website accessibility.

Unified management

SASE delivers unified, cross-platform device management that extends the capabilities of SASE for a seamless user experience that scales up or down according to the number of employees, devices, or locations. It allows IT admins to monitor the health and performance of SASE from anywhere on any device.

XDR vs. SASE

XDR (extended detection and response) is a security platform that takes data from multiple sources and uses it to detect, investigate, and respond to network threats. SASE, on the other hand, is a cloud-based security platform that provides users with secure access to applications and data from any location.

You’ll want an XDR solution if you’re trying to detect, investigate, and respond to cybersecurity threats, and you’ll want a SASE solution if you need secure access services or want user mobile or remote access capability. Both platforms offer robust protection against hacking and malware attacks.

XDR covers all aspects of on-premises security, from endpoint protection to network security, while SASE focuses on the edge, cloud security, and mobile device security. If you have most of your company’s resources stored in the office and rely heavily on IT infrastructure in the building, then XDR is probably better for you.

SASE would be better suited for your needs if you want to be more flexible with where work happens and is ideal for companies that wish to have remote access without giving up corporate data. You also get increased visibility into your devices by utilizing geolocation services.

Also see the Best Cloud Security Solutions

Top 10 SASE Solutions

Here are some of the best SASE solutions on the market, based on our assessment of product features, user feedback and more. These products range from low-cost ones appropriate for small businesses to higher-cost options aimed at protecting the most complex enterprises.

Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81 is a cloud and network security provider with a SASE offering that provides businesses a secure way to connect employees, devices, and applications. It uses a software-defined perimeter (SDP) to create a microsegmented network that limits access to only the resources users need. Plus, it’s cloud-based, so it’s easy to set up and manage.

Perimeter 81’s SASE offering includes a secure SD-WAN, next-generation firewall, CASB, and more. It’s easy to set up and manage and provides a high level of security for your network.

Key Differentiators

• Perimeter 81 offers ZTNA, FWaaS, Device Posture Check, and many more functionalities that enable remote and on-site users to securely access networks.
• Perimeter 81 uses AES-256-CBC cipher encryption to ensure all data transferred through their system is encrypted from point A to point B.
• Perimeter 81 monitors and secures the organization’s data from a single dashboard.
• This solution provides granular visibility into enterprise cloud resources, remote team members, and enterprise network management through its cloud management portal.
• An SWG utility is built into Perimeter 81 for those who want to protect employees from accidental malware infection by enforcing policies for browser traffic and CASB functionality to extend security policy to any cloud service provider’s architecture.

Features

• Multi-device usage
• Multiple concurrent connections
• Unlimited bandwidth
• User authentication

Cost

Perimeter 81 offers flexible licensing options that can be tailored to meet your business needs. The company has four pricing plans, including:

• Essential: $8 per user per month, plus +$40 per month per gateway
• Premium: $12 per user per month, plus +$40 per month per gateway
• Premium Plus: $16 per user per month, plus +$40 per month per gateway
• Enterprise: Prospective buyers should contact Perimeter 81 for quote

Cloudflare One

Cloudflare One is a SASE platform that provides enterprise security, performance, and networking services. It includes a web application firewall, DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) protection, and content delivery network capabilities.

Organizations with their own data centers can use it as an extension of their existing network infrastructure. It offers a secure communication channel between remote users, branch offices, and data centers.

Key Differentiators

• Cloudflare integrates a plethora of security and network optimization features, including traffic scanning and filtering, ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS, DDoS protection, the SD-WAN-like Magic Transit, Network Interconnect, Argo for routing, and WARP endpoints.
• Users can connect internet services, self-hosted apps, servers, remote users, SaaS applications, and offices.
• The solution protects users and corporate data by assessing user traffic, filtering and blocking malicious content, detecting compromised devices, and using browser isolation capabilities to stop the malicious script from running.
• With Magic Transit, networks can be secured from DDoS attacks.
• Cloudflare offers two access points (WARP and Magic Transit) to applications.
• Cloudflare’s Magic WAN offers secure, performant connection and routing for all components of a typical corporate network, including data centers, offices, user devices, and so on, allowing administrators to enforce network firewall restrictions at the network’s edge, across traffic from any entity.

Features

• Identity management
• Device integrity
• Zero-trust policy
• Analytics
• Logs and reporting
• Browser isolation

Cost

Prospective customers should contact Cloudflare for pricing quotes.

Cisco

Cisco’s SASE platform combines networking and security functions in the cloud to deliver seamless, secure access to applications anywhere users work. Cisco defines its offering using 3Cs:

• Connect: Cisco provides an open standards-based approach for integrating IT with any mobile device, whether it is BYOD or provided by the enterprise.
• Control: As enterprises move toward a unified approach to delivering employee experiences across all of their apps, they need a platform that provides consistent data protection policies while preserving employee choice on where they want to use apps.
• Converge: Enterprises also need to enable cross-enterprise collaboration capabilities by consolidating network and security policy management into one centralized place.

Cisco’s new approach converges these functions into a unified platform in the cloud that delivers end-to-end visibility and control over every application traffic flow between people, devices and networks.

Key Differentiators

• Cisco Umbrella unifies firewall, SWG, DNS-layer security, CASB, and threat intelligence.
• Cisco’s SASE architecture is built on its SD-WAN powered by Viptela and Meraki, AnyConnect, Secure Access by Duo (ZTNA), Umbrella cloud security with DNS, CASB, and ThousandEyes endpoint visibility.
• The solution uses machine learning to search, identify, and predict malicious sites.
• Rapid security protection deployment is available across various channels, including on-premises, cloud, remote access, and VPN.
• Cisco Umbrella combines a firewall, secure web gateway, DNS-layer security, CASB, and threat intelligence technologies into a single cloud service for companies of all sizes.
• Its ThousandEyes architecture decreases mean time to identify and resolve (MTTI/MTTR) by quickly identifying the source of problems across internal networks, ISPs (internet service providers), cloud and application providers, and other networks.

Features

• Analytics
• ZTNA
• End-to-end observability
• API (application programming interface)
• Automation

Cost

Pricing quotes are available on request.

Cato Networks

Cato Networks is a next-generation security platform that enables enterprises to securely connect users to applications, whether in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid. Cato Networks provides a single point of control and visibility into all traffic flowing into and out of the network, making it easy to manage and secure access for all users.

Cato Networks also offers a variety of features to protect against threats, including an integrated intrusion prevention system (IPS), application-layer inspection engine, and NGFW. With this suite of protection features, organizations can quickly detect and stop an attack before it gets too far into their environment.

Key Differentiators

• Cato helps IT teams improve networking and security for all apps and users, its optimization and security features are readily available when provisioning additional resources.
• Cato’s unified software stack increases network and security visibility.  This improves cross-team collaboration and business operations.
• Cato provides the redundancy required to guarantee secure and highly available service by linking the points of presence with several Tier-1 IPs.
• Cato connects physical locations, cloud resources, and mobile devices to the internet. Cato SD-WAN devices connect physical locations; mobile users use client and clientless access, and agentless configuration connects cloud resources.

Features

• Infrastructure management
• Access controls/permissions
• Activity monitoring
• Cloud application security
• Intrusion detection system
• Remote access/control

Cost

Pricing quotes are available on request.

NordLayer

NordLayer is a cloud-based security platform that helps businesses secure their data and prevent unauthorized access. NordLayer provides various features to help companies to stay secure, including two-factor authentication (2FA), encrypted data storage, and real-time monitoring. NordLayer is an affordable, easy-to-use solution that can help businesses keep their data safe.

Key Differentiators

• NordLayer supports AES 256-bit encryption.
• A dedicated server option is available.
• NordLayer automatically restricts untrusted websites and users.
• Users can connect to networked devices with the help of smart remote access by setting up a virtual LAN.

Features

• 2FA
• AES 256-bit encryption
• SSO
• Auto connect
• Biometrics
• Smart remote access
• Zero trust access
• Central management

Cost

NordLayer’s scalable plans also make it a cost-effective option for companies with different levels of need for securing data. NordLayer offers three plans, including:

• Basic: $7 per user per month as $84 billed annually or $9 per user per month with monthly billing
• Advance: $9 per user per month as $108 billed annually or $9 per user per month with monthly billing
• Custom: Quotes available on request

Zscaler

Zscaler SASE is a cloud-native SASE platform consolidating multiple security functions into a single, integrated solution. It offers advanced user and entity behavior analytics, a next-generation firewall, and web filtering. Its secure architecture is uniquely designed to leverage the public cloud’s scale, speed, and agility while maintaining an uncompromised security posture.

Key Differentiators

• Zscaler optimizes traffic routing to provide the optimal user experience by peering at the edge with application and service providers.
• Zscaler offers native app segmentation by allowing an authenticated user to access an authorized app off-network through the usage of business policies.
• Zscaler’s design encrypts IP addresses to conceal source identities and prevent unauthorized access to the internal network.
• Zscaler currently boasts a global presence with over 150 data centers worldwide.
• It offers a proxy-based architecture for comprehensive traffic inspection and zero-trust network access, eliminating application segmentation.

Features

• Automation
• Zero-trust network access
• Multi-tenant architecture
• Proxy architecture
• SSL (secure sockets layer) inspection at scale

Cost

Pricing quotes are available on request.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma

Palo Alto’s Prisma SASE is a secure access service edge solution that combines network security, cloud security, and SD-WAN in a single platform. Prisma SASE provides the ability to establish an encrypted connection between corporate assets and the cloud.

It provides granular control over user access, allowing users to protect their data and applications from unauthorized access and attacks. With Prisma SASE, enterprises can meet compliance obligations by encrypting all traffic to and from public cloud services and within their internal networks.

Key Differentiators

• Bidirectionally on all ports, including SSL/TLS-encrypted traffic, whether communicating with the internet, the cloud, or between branches.
• With Prisma, organizations can streamline their security and network infrastructure and increase their responsiveness by combining previously separate products. These include Cloud SWG, ZTNA, ADEM, FWaaS, and NG CASB.
• Prisma uses machine learning-powered threat prevention to block 95% of web-based attacks in real-time, significantly lowering the likelihood of a data breach.
• Prisma offers fast deployment.
• Prisma Access prevents known and unknown malware, exploits, credential theft, command-and-control, and other attack vectors across all ports and protocols.

Features

• Cloud-based management portal
• Open APIs
• Automation
• SSL decryption
• Dynamic user group (DUG) monitoring
• AI/ML-based detection
• IoT security
• Reporting
• URL filtering
• Enterprise data loss prevention
• Digital experience monitoring (DEM)

Cost

Contact the Palo Alto Networks team for detailed quotes.

Netskope

Netskope SASE is a cloud-native security platform that enables organizations to securely connect users to applications, data, and devices from anywhere. It provides a single pane of glass for visibility and control over all internet traffic, both inbound and outbound.

With this solution, enterprises can focus on securing the apps and data they use most by prioritizing access based on risk profile and selecting security controls selectively without interrupting business operations.

Key Differentiators

• Netskope may be a forward or reverse proxy for web, private, and SaaS applications.
• This platform helps secure users, apps, data, and devices.
• ZTNA, CASB, private access, next-generation SWG, public cloud security, and advanced analytics are part of its unified cloud-native and real-time solution.
• Netskope SASE helps customers protect themselves against threats like DDoS attacks and malware by removing access to malicious domains at the perimeter edge.

Features

• Automation
• Zero-trust network access
• Threat protection
• Data protection

Cost

Quote-based pricing is available on request.

Skyhigh Security

McAfee Enterprise’s Cloud business rebranded to form Skyhigh Security. Skyhigh’s SASE secures data across the web, cloud, and private apps. The platform enables enterprises to securely connect users to apps and data from any device, anywhere. The platform uses machine learning to generate insight into user behavior and analyze real-time threat intelligence data with predictive modeling.

Key Differentiators

• Skyhigh’s security solution provides granular reporting on top of bandwidth utilization, high-risk service, and user activities.
• It provides enterprise-grade security policies that allow employees to safely use applications on their devices without sacrificing protection or productivity.
• Skyhigh automates manual tasks to gather and analyze evidence.
• Machine learning insight identifies and analyzes risk factors and predicts users’ actions.

Features

• Automation
• Dashboard
• Analytics and reporting
• Remote browser isolation
• Data loss prevention
• Zero-trust network access

Cost

Skyhigh Security provides pricing quotes on request.

Versa

Versa is a SASE solution that integrates a comprehensive set of services through the Versa operating system (VOS), including security, networking SD-WAN, and analytics. The solution delivers holistic enterprise-wide IT strategy and management to meet the needs of both security professionals and network managers. The services are orchestrated and delivered integrated to provide enhanced visibility, agility, and protection.

Key Differentiators

• Versa supports cloud, on-premises, or blended deployment.
• Versa Next Generation Firewall features decryption capabilities, macro- and microsegmentation, and full multi-tenancy, giving comprehensive security along the enterprise’s perimeter.
• The solution protects all devices with varying potential vulnerabilities and exploits, including various operating systems, IoT devices, and BYOD.
• Versa scans user sessions for risk based on URL filtering and categorization.

Features

• Multi-tenancy
• Versa operating system
• Analytics
• Routing
• NGFWaaS
• URL filtering
• Automation
• Multi-factor authentication

Cost

Pricing is quote-based. Potential buyers can contact Versa for personalized quotes.

How to Choose a SASE Provider

The right SASE provider will have a global presence and can offer exceptional performance and security. They are also known for being flexible and customizable to the needs of their customers.

Plus, they must always be backed by the latest technologies to provide excellent service. When looking for a SASE provider, ensure you find one with all of these qualities, so you don’t run into any issues later on. There is no such thing as too much research regarding choosing your SASE provider.

Before settling for a provider, read user reviews, assess the provider’s product features, understand your enterprise needs, and evaluate their SLA (service-level agreement) commitments. Once you’ve found the perfect provider, ask about pricing plans and contracts. Make sure you get what you’re paying for because your IT infrastructure is very important at the end of the day.

The post Top Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Solutions appeared first on IT Business Edge.

Businesses need to ensure the tools they use are practical and effective enough for the level of protection they need. Good data handling and security best practices are a good start, but the volume of information in an enterprise requires automated monitoring, and that’s where DLP tools come in.

Also read: Implementing Best Practices for Data Loss Prevention

What is Data Loss Prevention?

Data loss prevention is the proactive process of identifying, monitoring, and protecting data in use, in transit, and at rest. By doing so, organizations can prevent data breaches and protect sensitive information from being lost or stolen.

Organizations are responsible for this, as they must adhere to specific regulations, including HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act), and SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act).

For example, HIPAA requires covered entities to take reasonable safeguards to protect electronic health information from misuse or inappropriate access by an unauthorized person.

By classifying data and identifying anomalous behavior, DLP tools give enterprises the visibility and reporting needed to protect data and satisfy compliance reporting requirements.

Also see the Top Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Tools

Common Features of DLP Tools

Data loss prevention tools help organizations protect their data from unauthorized access and accidental or intentional deletion. Here are the must-have features of a good DLP solution.

Cloud support

If you use cloud services, looking for a provider that integrates with them seamlessly is essential. You want the system to automatically back up all of your data and notify you if there is any potential breach of privacy.

Alerts

A critical feature in any DLP tool is receiving alerts when suspicious activity occurs. It’s not enough to just know that an incident happened; it needs to give real-time notifications, so you can stop a problem before it becomes irreversible.

Alerts need to include details about the situation, including how much data was lost, who may have stolen the data, and how soon you need to act to recover the lost data. It should also provide recommendations on how best to deal with the situation without sacrificing compliance measures such as perimeters or encryption keys.

Advanced analytics

Advanced analytics can automate tasks like detecting anomalies in an employee’s behavior pattern, sending alerts when someone is about to exceed their usage limits, or determining whether sensitive information has been leaked outside the organization using keywords. Some companies even offer predictive analysis to know which employees are most likely to leak sensitive information ahead of time.

Audit and search

Audits and searches provide the ability to see who accessed what, when they accessed it, where they were accessing it from, and what types of files were accessed as well as the capability to search for sensitive information across all kinds of files, including email, files stored on remote drives, social media, mobile devices, and cloud storage services.

User account control

User account control prevents users from accessing anything on a system unless they have specific permissions. It ensures that only those people with permission can access documents and folders and prevents workers from copying sensitive documents outside the office by blocking printing, downloading or sending out emails with attachments containing sensitive information without permission.

Secure transport methods

Secure transport methods encrypt data over any network connection and implement encryption standards to maintain the confidentiality of all company data at rest, during transmission and while being processed. They also integrate with other security solutions, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, to ensure a complete level of protection.

Compliance with regulations

DLP tools must comply with various standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) 800-171, which mandate specific security measures for different data and environments and keeping logs. Hence, you know who is accessing what information.

Also see the Best Cloud Security Solutions

How to Choose the Best Data Loss Prevention Tools

Data loss prevention tools are essential for any business that wants to protect its data. But with so many options on the market, how do you choose the best one for your needs? Here are a few things to consider.

Data location

One of the first considerations when selecting a DLP tool is where your data is stored. Some DLP tools can only monitor and analyze cloud-based or local networks, while others have agents installed on physical devices like computers and servers. Make sure your software covers all your company’s data locations.

Monitoring level

You’ll also want to decide what level of monitoring you need from your DLP software. Do you want it to detect unauthorized access attempts and alert the team? Or do you need it to identify sensitive information and mitigate risks before they happen? There are some fundamental distinctions between these two levels of monitoring, but they both come with their advantages and disadvantages. The most effective solution may be somewhere in between.

Reporting

It’s important to remember that different companies have different requirements for reports, too. If reports are essential to you, ensure the DLP software can generate them. But if not, this could be an area where you could save money.

Cost

Cost should always factor into your decision about which DLP software to purchase for your company. There are some free products out there, but if you’re looking for enterprise-level capabilities, you might be better off with a premium product.

No matter what product you choose, don’t forget to compare the costs against your budget. Your specific needs will dictate which features you prioritize, but it’s always wise to set aside some time for research before making any decisions.

Top 11 Data Loss Prevention Tools

Many data loss prevention tools are available on the market, but not all are created equal. After reviewing various DLP solutions, here are our top 11 picks for organizations looking to prevent data leakage.

Symantec DLP

Symantec Data Loss Prevention is a software suite that helps organizations prevent data breaches by identifying, monitoring, and protecting sensitive data. It can also monitor and log data access and activity.

In addition, Symantec DLP can look for patterns in data usage and detect anomalies in user behavior. The suite includes a web gateway, email gateway, endpoint agent, and management console. Symantec DLP can also detect and block confidential information leakage through various channels, including emails, FTP sites, and cloud storage services.

Features

• ​​Critical data protection
• Visibility and control
• Unified policy framework
• Regulatory compliance
• Data management
• Incident logs
• Reporting
• Encryption
• Endpoint intelligence
• Activity monitoring
• Breach detection

Pros

• Offers real-time blocking, quarantining, and alerts to prevent end users from leaking data
• Compliance with data protection regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR
• Enhance incident response through behavioral analytics
• Sensitive data storage locations can be automatically mapped by automated scanning

Cons

• Steep learning curve

Cost

Contact the Symantec team for quotes tailored to your enterprise needs.

​​Digital guardian DLP

Digital Guardian’s Data Loss Prevention platform is a comprehensive solution that helps organizations prevent the loss of sensitive and confidential data. The platform uses technology, people, and processes to identify, monitor, and protect data across the enterprise.

Digital Guardian DLP automatically identifies risky files based on predefined policies. These policies can be specific or broad in scope. This tool also includes endpoint detection and response (EDR) and user entity behavior analytics (UEBA) features to protect against external and internal threats from the same agent. In addition, it can be deployed on-premises or as a SaaS solution.

Features

• Data visibility
• Compliance
• Analytics and reporting
• Data classification
• Data discovery
• Management console
• Cloud data protection
• Managed detection and response

Pros

• Real-time endpoint monitoring and behavioral insight
• Total visibility and flexible control across all operating systems
• Automatic monitoring and logging of all endpoint activities
• Intuitive user interface (UI)

Cons

• Initial setup can be complex
• Some users consider this product pricey

Cost

Digital Guardian pricing isn’t available on its website. However, you can contact the sales team to schedule a demo and request quotes.

SecureTrust

​​SecureTrust is a comprehensive data loss prevention tool that helps organizations of all sizes identify and protect sensitive information from unauthorized disclosure. The system is autonomous and will block malicious attempts independently.

It can be used for cloud-based and on-premises storage, providing access to any data type. DLP policies can be created to block or alert specific types of content. A company can also choose the kind of enforcement to use when the policy is violated — either blocking or notifying the user they are attempting to violate a policy.

Features

• Risk assessment
• PCI compliance service
• Investigation management
• Advanced content control
• Automatic encryption, blocking, and quarantine
• Real-time identity match
• Automatically block HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP traffic that violates compliance policies

Pros

• Offers 360-degree risk mitigation
• Has over 70 predefined policy and risk settings
• Provides a configurable dashboard to monitor sensitive data and manage protective settings

Cons

• Initial setup can take some time.

Cost

Contact SecureTrust to request quotes.

CrowdStrike Falcon Device Control

CrowdStrike Falcon Device Control is a security software that helps businesses prevent data loss. It works by blocking unauthorized devices from accessing sensitive data and monitoring and logging all device activity.

It provides the visibility and granular controls to protect against malicious insiders and outside attackers, including attacks via removable media or over Wi-Fi. This tool provides detailed reports about device activity on your network and stores those records in an industry-standard format for easy sharing.

Features

• Automatic visibility across USB device usage
• Behavioral analytics
• Variable security set by policies
• Proactive alerts
• Malware detection
• Intelligence reports

Pros

• Centralized management dashboard
• User-friendly dashboard
• Less false positives

Cons

• Expensive for a small-scale enterprise
• Documentation can be improved

Cost

Pricing isn’t available on the CrowdStrike website. However, you can contact the sales team to request quotes.

Check Point

Check Point DLP is an enterprise-grade solution that offers content filtering, email protection, antivirus and anti-spam, application control, and many other features. The best thing about this software is how it can be customized to fit any organization’s needs.

With modules like Email Protection, Web Protection, and Mail Gateway Protection, Check Point DLP ensures any data leakage from the network is stopped in its tracks. One of the more exciting features of Check Point DLP is that it’s based on artificial intelligence and machine learning which means that as time goes on, its ability to detect data leaks increases.

Features

• Web filtering
• Firewall
• Policy management
• Logging and reporting
• Load balancing
• Continuous analysis
• Data classification
• Intrusion detection and prevention

Pros

• Prevent spam emails and other spam from entering the network
• Whitelist a specific URL to bypass the scanning process 
• Offers a virtualized network for client networks to mask identity, location, and other sensitive information
• Choose from 60+ or 700+ predefined data content types for PII, PCI, HIPAA, and more

Cons

• Application and URL filtering needs improvement
• As a feature-rich tool, its learning curve can be steep

Cost

Pricing isn’t available on Check Point’s website. You can, however, request quotes from its sales team.

Code42

Code42 Incydr DLP software is one of the top tools for managing insider risk in the workplace. For instance, the software offers advanced web monitoring and alerts that help businesses comply with regulations such as GDPR. And it can manage user activities on corporate networks, apps, and devices from a single dashboard.

With the increased number of the remote workforce, Incydr provides an easy-to-use interface divided into two main categories: Detection and Investigation (Forensic Search). These categories include web filtering, employee usage monitoring, and network monitoring, and users can take advantage of its Incydr risk indicators to detect and investigate data breaches and theft incidents.

Features

• Incydr risk dashboards
• Exfiltration detectors
• Incydr risk indicators
• Watchlists
• Forensic search
• Incident management
• Policy management

Pros

• Ease of use
• Provides visibility into employee’s activities
• Proactively detect enterprise data exposure or theft
• ​​Identifies data security risks across PCs, the cloud, and email

Cons

• Support could use some improvement

Cost

​​Code42 does not publish Incydr prices; thus, you must contact sales for pricing details.

Trend Micro IDLP

Trend Micro is an integrated DLP solution that can protect data across devices, networks, and the cloud. It provides a real-time view of your organization’s activity, allowing administrators to respond when threats are detected. With Trend Micro IDLP, you get in-depth visibility into what employees are doing on their computers and mobile devices, along with a prebuilt set of security templates for popular business applications.

Features

• ​​Lightweight plug-in
• Data discovery and scanning
• Employee education and remediation
• Supports compliance
• Automation

Pros

• With a lightweight plug-in, you can gain visibility and management of critical data and avoid data loss through USB, email, SaaS apps, web, mobile devices, and cloud storage
• Fully-integrated, centrally-managed solution
•  24/7 real-time network monitoring
• Responds to policy violations automatically, with options to log, bypass, block, encrypt, alert, modify, quarantine, or delete data

Cons

• As per user review, some users experience issues with installation
• Not as feature-rich as other solutions in the same category

Cost

Prospective buyers can contact Trend Micro’s sales team for pricing details.

Forcepoint DLP

Forcepoint DLP delivers unified data and IP protection for hybrid and multicloud enterprises with a single platform that enforces consistent security policies across clouds, on-premises systems, and user devices.

With Forcepoint DLP, you can protect your data from accidental or malicious leaks, ensure compliance with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA, and prevent intellectual property theft. The features are designed to simplify complex security tasks, automate the analysis of massive amounts of log data, and integrate with existing IT infrastructure.

Features

• Policy management
• Encryption
• Advanced detection and controls
• Data management
• Incident logs
• Access control
• Data visibility
• Endpoint intelligence
• Data fingerprinting

Pros

• Forcepoint DLP is easy to use and provides granular control over what data is protected and how it is protected
• Offers native, behavioral analytics; risk-adaptive protection; and risk-based policy enforcement
• Integrate with third-party data classification tools to automate data labeling and classification

Cons

• Complex multiple server deployments
• Predefined policies can be improved
• Data discovery can be improved
• Steep learning curve

Cost

Pricing for the product is not available on the provider’s page. However, you can request pricing and get quotes tailored to your needs.

Fidelis Network DLP

Fidelis Network is a DLP tool that offers a full range of data security services, including system-wide compliance, end-to-end encryption, anomaly detection, and integration with other tools among other features.

Additionally, Fidelis provides granular control over what data is allowed to leave your network, so you can be sure that only the most sensitive information is protected. For example, Fidelis uses patented Deep Session Inspection technology to extract metadata and monitor 300+ different attributes. If the system detects a potential risk, it can flag it or take more specific action depending on your preferences.

Features

• Deep visibility and threat control
• Dashboard
• Analytics and reporting
• Automated detection and response

Pros

• Prevent data theft or unauthorized sharing
• Fidelis’s policy system can be easily customized to fit your needs
• Increase security efficiency by analyzing network threats at up to 20 Gbps with a single sensor

Cons

• Some users consider this tool pricey for small business
• Support can be improved

Cost

Contact the Fidelis sales team for personalized quotes.

Sophos

Sophos DLP is a comprehensive data loss prevention solution that provides visibility into sensitive information and detects any unusual activity. It includes content scanning, email monitoring, risk assessment, in-depth analysis of files and metadata, and more. All this makes it easy for IT admins to stop threats before they happen.

Features

• Data access control
• PII encryption
• User behavior assessment
• Regulatory compliance
• Security automation

Pros

• Easy point-and-click policy configuration
• Allows users to define the data control policies by endpoint, groups, email, and sender
• Log, alert, block, or encrypt sensitive data that triggers a DLP policy rule
• It doesn’t require additional software client installation

Cons

• The amount of false positives needs improvement
• As per user review, Sophos can be resource-intensive
• Support could use some improvement

Cost

Prospective solution buyers should contact Sophos for personalized quotes.

Trellix DLP Discover

Trellix – the product of the merger of McAfee Enterprise and FireEye – works closely with its former cloud business, Skyhigh Security, in the area of DLP to address both on-premises and cloud DLP issues. Trellix Data Loss Prevention Discover offers real-time visibility and security of data, dynamic access adjustment, intelligent threat identification, and automated response.

Features

• ​​Shared intelligence and automated workflows
• Centralized incident management
• Compliance enforcement
• Device to cloud
• Data management
• Incident logs
• Reporting
• Access control
• Compliance
• Data visibility
• Encryption
• Endpoint intelligence
• Activity monitoring

Pros

• Monitors and performs real-time scanning and analysis of the network traffic
• Use fingerprinting, file tagging, and classification to protect sensitive data
• This tool is feature-rich
• The data classification feature is robust

Cons

• Steep learning curve, especially with configuration
• Support can be improved
• The UI can be improved

The post Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools appeared first on IT Business Edge.

However, these tools are designed to accomplish different tasks, so their functions are not exactly the same. We’ll go over those differences here, so you have a clear idea of what each one entails and choose which would suit your business needs.

See the Top Data Lake Solutions and Top Data Warehouses

What is a data lake?

A data lake is a storage repository that holds vast raw data in its native format until it is needed. It uses a flat architecture to store data, which makes it easier and faster to query data.

Data lakes are usually used for storing big datasets. They’re ideal for large files and great at integrating diverse datasets from different sources because they have no schema or structure to bind them together.

How does a data lake work?

A data lake is a central repository where all types of data can be stored in their native format. Any application or analysis can then access the data without the need for transformation.

The data in a data lake can be from multiple sources and structured, semi-structured, or unstructured. This makes data lakes very flexible, as they can accommodate any data. In addition, data lakes are scalable, so they can grow as a company’s needs change. And because data lakes store files in their original formats, there’s no need to worry about conversions when accessing that information.

Moreover, most companies using a data lake have found they can use more sophisticated tools and processing techniques on their data than traditional databases. A data lake makes accessing enterprise information easier by enabling the storage of less frequently accessed information close to where it will be accessed. It also eliminates the need to perform additional steps to prepare the data before analyzing it. This adds up to much faster query response times and better analytical performance.

Also read: Snowflake vs. Databricks: Big Data Platform Comparison

What is a data warehouse?

A data warehouse is designed to store structured data that has been processed, cleansed, integrated, and transformed into a consistent format that supports historical reporting and analysis. It is a database used for reporting and data analysis and acts as a central repository of integrated data from one or more disparate sources that can be accessed by multiple users.

A data warehouse typically contains historical data that can be used to generate reports and analyze trends over time and is usually built with large amounts of data taken from various sources. The goal is to give decision-makers an at-a-glance view of the company’s overall performance.

How does a data warehouse work?

A data warehouse is a system that stores and analyzes data from multiple sources. It helps organizations make better decisions by providing a centralized view of their data. Data warehouses are typically used for reporting, analysis, predictive modeling, and machine learning.

To build a data warehouse, data must first be extracted and transformed from an organization’s various sources. Then, the data must be loaded into the database in a structured format. Finally, an ETL tool (extract, transform, load) will be needed to put all the pieces together and prepare them for use in analytics tools. Once it’s ready, a software program runs reports or analyses on this data.

Data warehouses may also include dashboards, which are interactive displays with graphical representations of information collected over time. These displays give people working in the company real-time insights into business operations, so they can take action quickly when necessary.

Also read: Top Big Data Storage Products

Differences between data lake and data warehouse

When storing big data, data lakes and data warehouses have different features. Data warehouses store traditional transactional databases and store data in one table with structured columns. Comparatively, a data lake is used for big data analytics. It stores raw unstructured data that can be analyzed later for insights.

Data type: Unstructured data vs. processed data

The main difference between the two is that in a data lake, the data is not processed before it is stored, while in a data warehouse it is. A data lake is a place to store all structured and unstructured data, and a data warehouse is a place to store only structured data. This means that a data lake can be used for big data analytics and machine learning, while a data warehouse can only be used for more limited data analysis and reporting.

Storage: Stored raw vs. clean and transformed

The data storage method is another important difference between a data lake and a data warehouse. A data lake stores raw information to make it easier to search through or analyze. On the other hand, a data warehouse stores clean, processed information, making it easier to find what is needed and make changes as necessary. Some companies use a hybrid approach, in which they have a data lake and an analytical database that complement each other.

Purpose: Undetermined vs. determined

The purposes of a data lake’s data are undetermined. Businesses can use the data for any purpose, whereas data warehouse data is already determined and in use. Hence why data lakes have more flexible data structures compared to data warehouses.

Where data lakes are flexible, data warehouses have more structured data. In a warehouse, data is pre-structured to fit a specific purpose. The nature of these structures depends on business operations. Moreover, a warehouse may contain structured data from an existing application, such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or it may be structured by hand based on user needs.

Database schema: Schema-on-read vs schema-on-write

A data warehouse follows a schema-on-write approach, whereas a data lake follows a schema-on-read approach. In the schema-on-write model, tables are created ahead of time to store data. If how the table is organized has to be changed or if columns need to be added later on, it’s difficult because all of the queries using that table will need to be updated.

On the other hand, schema changes are expensive and take a lot of time to complete. The schema-on-read model of a data lake allows a database to store any information in any column it wants. New data types can be addcolumns, and existing columns can be changed at any time without affecting the running systemed as new . However, if specific rows need to be found quickly, this could become more difficult than schema-on-write systems.

Users: Data scientist vs. business or data analysts

A data warehouse is designed to answer specific business questions, whereas a data lake is designed to be a storage repository for all of an organization’s data with no particular purpose. In a data warehouse, business users or analysts can interact with the data in a way that helps them find the answers they need to gain valuable insight into their operation.

On the other hand, there are no restrictions on how information can be used in a data lake because it is not intended to serve one single use case. Users must take responsibility for curating the data themselves before any analysis takes place and ensuring it’s of good quality before storing it in this format.

Size: All data up to petabytes of space vs. only structured data

The size difference is due to the data warehouse storing only structured data instead of all data. The two types of storage differ in many ways, but they are the most prevalent. The first way they differ is in their purpose: Data lakes store all data, while warehouses store only structured data.

Awareness of what type of storage is needed can help determine if a company should start with a data lake or a warehouse. A company may start with an enterprise-wide information hub for raw data and then use a more focused solution for datasets that have undergone additional processing steps.

Data lake vs. data warehouse: Which is right for me?

A data lake is a centralized repository that allows companies to store all of its structured and unstructured data at any scale, whereas a data warehouse is a relational database designed for query and analysis.

Determining which is the most suitable will depend on a company’s needs. If large amounts of data needs to be stored quickly, then a data lake is the way. However, a data warehouse is more appropriate if there is a need for analytics or insights into specific application data.

A successful strategy will likely involve implementing both models. A data lake can be used for storing big volumes of unstructured and high-volume data while a data warehouse can be used to analyze specific structured data.

Read next: Snowflake vs. Databricks: Big Data Platform Comparison

The post Data Lake vs. Data Warehouse: What’s the Difference? appeared first on IT Business Edge.

A cloud data lake solution offers a number of benefits that make it an ideal tool for managing and processing data, including protection of sensitive information, scalability of storage and resources, and automation of data-related processes. We’ll look at the top cloud data lake solutions available in the market and offer some insight into their key features, use cases and pricing.

Benefits of Data Lake Solutions

A data lake provides businesses with a robust data store perfect for pooling various data types, whether structured or unstructured. Data lakes also provide organizations with an optimal system for processing and analyzing their information.

Companies can easily set up pipelines to extract data from one storage area in the lake to another, which means they don’t have to worry about different platforms getting in the way of accessing the same content. A data lake solution can include all kinds of analytics tools, including natural language processing (NLP), artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), text mining, and predictive analytics to offer real-time insights into customer needs and business trends.

The cloud-based platform offers incredible scalability, allowing companies to grow as their data grows without interruption in services. With data lakes, it’s possible to analyze what works and doesn’t work within an organization at lightning speed.

See the Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software

Common Features of Data Lake Solutions

Data lake solutions have many features in common, such as data visualization, data access and sharing, scalability, and so on. Here are some common characteristics of data lake solutions.

• Data visualization enables users to explore and analyze large volumes of unstructured data by creating interactive visualizations for insights into their content.
• Scalability allows companies with both small and large databases to handle sudden spikes in demand without worrying about system failure or crashes due to a lack of processing power.
• File upload/download enables uploading and downloading files from the cloud or local servers into the data lake area.
• Machine learning helps AI systems learn about different types of information and detect patterns automatically.
• Integration facilitates compatibility across multiple software programs; this makes it easier for organizations to use whichever application they choose without having to worry about incompatibility issues between them.
• Data accessibility ensures that any authorized user can access the necessary files without waiting for lengthy downloads or parsing times.

The Best Cloud Data Lake Solutions

Here are our picks for the best data lake solutions based on our analysis of the market.

Snowflake

Snowflake is a SaaS (software-as-a-service) company that provides businesses an all-in-one single platform for data lakes, data warehousing, data engineering, data science and machine learning, data application, collaboration, and cybersecurity. The Snowflake platform breaks down barriers between databases, processing systems, and warehouses by unifying them into a single system to support an enterprise’s overall data strategy.

With Snowflake, companies can combine structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data of any format, even from across clouds and regions, as well as data generated from Internet of Things (IoT) devices, sensors, and web/log data.

Key Differentiators

• Consolidates Data: Snowflake can be used to store structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data of any format, no matter where it originates or how it was created.
• Unified Storage: Snowflake combines many different types of data management functions, including storage and retrieval, ETL workflows, security management, monitoring, and analytics.
• Analyze With Ease: The unified design lets users analyze vast amounts of diverse datasets with extreme ease and speed.
• Speed up AI Projects: Snowflake offers enterprise-grade performance without requiring extensive resources or time spent on complex configurations. Additionally, with integrated GPU and parallel computing capabilities, analyzing large datasets is faster.
• Data Query: Analysts can query data directly over the data lake with good scalability and no resource contention or concurrency issues.
• Governance and Security: All users can access data simultaneously without performance degradation, ensuring compliance with IT governance and privacy policies.

Cost

Snowflake does not list pricing details on their website. However, prospective buyers can join their weekly product demo or sign up for a 30-day free trial to see what this solution offers.

Databricks

Databricks is a cloud-based data platform that helps users prepare, manage, and analyze their data. It offers a unified platform for data science, engineering, and business users to collaborate on data projects. The application also integrates with Apache Spark and AWS Lambda, allowing data engineers to build scalable batch or streaming applications.

Databricks’s delta lake provides a robust transactional storage layer that enables fast reads and writes for ad hoc queries and other modern analytical workloads. Delta lake is an open-source storage layer that brings ACID transactions to Apache Spark and big data workloads.

Key Differentiators

• Databricks can cluster resources across multiple clusters to provide scale and fault tolerance.
• ​​The Databricks data lakehouse combines data warehouses and data lakes into a single platform that can manage all the corporate data, analytics, and AI use cases.
• The platform is built on open source.
• Databricks provides excellent performance with Apache Spark.
• The platform provides a unified source of information for all data, including real-time streams, ensuring high-quality and reliable data.

Costs

Databricks offers pay-as-you-go pricing. However, starting prices vary based on the cloud provider. A 14-day free trial is available for users that want to try it before buying.

Also read: Snowflake vs. Databricks: Big Data Platform Comparison

Cloudera data lake service

Cloudera data lake service is a cloud-based big data processing platform that helps organizations effectively manage, process, and analyze large amounts of data. The platform is designed to handle structured and unstructured data, making it ideal for a wide range of workloads such as ETL, data warehousing, machine learning, and streaming analytics.

Cloudera also provides a managed service called Cloudera Data Platform (CDP), which makes it easy to deploy and manage data lakes in the cloud. It is one of the top cloud data lake solutions because it offers numerous features and services.

Key Differentiators

• CDP can scale to petabytes of data and thousands of diverse users.
• Cloudera governance and data log features transform metadata into information assets, increasing its usability, reliability, and value throughout its life cycle.
• Data can be encrypted at rest and in motion, and users are enabled to manage encryption keys.
• Cloudera Data Lake Service defines and enforces granular, flexible, role- and attribute-based security rules as well as prevents and audits unauthorized access to classified or restricted data.
• The platform provides single sign-on (SSO) access to end users via Apache Knox’s secure access gateway.

Cost

Cloudera data lake service costs $650 per Cloudera Compute Unit (CCU) per year. Prospective buyers can contact the Cloudera sales team for quotes tailored to their needs.

Amazon web service lake formation

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Lake Formation is a fully managed service that makes it easy to set up a data lake and securely store and analyze data. With Lake Formation, users can quickly create a data lake, ingest data from various sources, and run analytics on data using the tools and services of their choice. Plus, Lake Formation provides built-in security and governance features to help organizations meet compliance requirements. Amazon Web Services also offers Elastic MapReduce, a hosted service that lets users access their cluster without having to deal with provisioning hardware or complex setup tasks.

Key Differentiators

• Lake formation cleans and prepares data for analysis using an ML transform called FindMatches.
• Lake formation enables users to import data from various database engines hosted by AWS. The supported database engines include MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MariaDB, and Oracle database.
• Users can also use the AWS SDKs (software development kits) or load files into S3 and then use AWS Glue or another ETL tool to move them into lake formation.
• Lake Formation lets users filter data by columns and rows.
• The platform has the capabilities to rewrite various date formats for consistency and also make data analytically friendly.

Cost

AWS pricing varies based on region and number of bytes scanned by the storage API, rounded to the next megabyte, with a 10MB minimum. AWS charges for data filtering ($2.25 per TB of data scanned), transaction metadata storage ($1.00 per 100,000 S3 objects per month), request ($1.00 per million requests per month), and storage optimizer ($2.25 per TB of data processed). Companies can use the AWS pricing calculator to get an estimate or contact an AWS specialist for a personalized quote.

Azure data lake

Azure Data Lake is Microsoft’s cloud-based data storage solution that allows users to capture data of any size, type, and ingestion speed. Azure Data Lake integrates with enterprise IT investments for identity, management, and security. Users can also store any kind of data in the data lake, including structured and unstructured datasets, without transforming it into a predefined schema or structure.

Key Differentiators

• YARN (yet another resource negotiator) enables Azure Data Lake to offer elasticity and scale, so the data can be accessed when needed.
• Azure Data Lake provides encryption capabilities at rest and in transit and also has other security capabilities, including SSO, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and management of identities built-in through Azure Active Directory.
• Analyzing large amounts of data from diverse sources is no longer an issue. Azure Data Lake uses HDInsight, which includes HBase, Microsoft R Server, Apache Spark, and more.
• Azure Data Lake allows users to quickly design and execute parallel data transformation and processing programs in U-SQL, R, Python, and .Net over petabytes of data.
• Azure HDInsight can be integrated with Azure Active Directory for role-based access controls and single sign-on.

Cost

Prospective buyers can contact the Microsoft sales team for personalized quotes based on their unique needs.

Google BigLake

Google BigLake is a cloud-based storage engine that unifies data lakes and warehouses. It allows users to store and analyze data of any size, type, or format. The platform is scalable and easily integrated with other Google products and services. BigLake also features several security and governance controls to help ensure data quality and compliance.

Key Differentiators

• BigLake is built on open format and supports major open data formats, including Parquet, Avro, ORC, CSV, and JSON.
• It supports multicloud governance, allowing users to access BigLake tables as well as those created in other clouds such as Amazon S3 and Azure Data Lake Gen 2 in the data catalog.
• Using BigLake connectors, users can keep a single copy of their data and make it available in the same form across Google Cloud and open-source engines like BigQuery, Vertex AI, Spark, Presto, Trino, and Hive.

Cost

BigLake pricing is based on BigLake table queries, which include BigQuery, BigQuery Omni, and BigQuery Storage API.

Hadoop

Apache Hadoop is an open-source framework for storing and processing big data. It is designed to provide a reliable and scalable environment for applications that need to process vast amounts of data quickly. IBM, Cloudera, and Hortonworks are some of the top providers of Hadoop-based software. 

Key Differentiators

• Hadoop data lake architecture is made of several modules, including HDFS (Hadoop distributed file system), YARN, MapReduce, and Hadoop common.
• Hadoop stores various data types, including JSON objects, log files, images, and web posts.
• Hadoop enables the concurrent processing of data. This is because when data is ingested, it is segmented and distributed across various nodes in a cluster.
• Users can gather data from several sources and act as a relay station for data that is overloading another system.

Cost

Hadoop is an open-source solution, and it’s available for enterprises to download and use at no cost.

Choosing a Data Lake Provider

There are various options for storing, accessing, analyzing, and visualizing enterprise data in the cloud. However, every company’s needs are different. The solution that works best for a company will depend on what they need to do with their data, where it lives, and what business challenges they’re trying to solve.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a data lake provider. Some of the most important include:

• Security and Compliance: Ensure the provider meets security and compliance needs.
• Scalability: Businesses should choose a provider they can scale with as their data needs grow.
• Cost: Compare pricing between providers to find the most cost-effective option.
• Ease of Use: Consider how easy it is to use the provider’s platform and tools.

Read next: Top Big Data Storage Products

The post Top Data Lake Solutions for 2022 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

A cloud security solution maintains data integrity, confidentiality, and availability. It also manages authentication and authorization policies across hybrid deployments of public and private clouds. These solutions help organizations comply with industry regulations and internal policies and procedures.

Also read: Cloud Security Woes Give Rise to Integrated CNAP Platforms

How to Choose a Cloud Security Provider

A cloud security company can provide access to many resources that are critical to any business’s health. The best way to ensure you have a secure cloud environment is to enlist an organization that understands your industry and your needs as a client.

Cloud security vendors promise to protect your valuable data, but how do you know which one is best for your needs? Here are five factors to help determine if a cloud security provider can protect your cloud data.

Top-notch data protection

The first thing you need to look at when evaluating a cloud security provider is their data protection abilities. Ensure they have all your bases covered, including backups and offsite storage solutions in case of emergencies or natural disasters – or ransomware.

Ask about their contingency plans and make sure they’re up-to-date and well thought out. Are there any situations where customers would be without access to their information? What kind of customer support is available? These are some of the questions you should ask before choosing a cloud security provider.

Multi-cloud, misconfigurations and more

Cloud services and SaaS apps tend to be pretty good at protecting data; cloud security services are largely about protecting your data between your environment and the service. There are many options to consider, like workload protection, configuration monitoring, application and network security and performance monitoring, support for multi-cloud and hybrid environments, and more. Be sure to get the protection you need.

Resiliency

Another key factor to consider when choosing a cloud security provider is how much redundancy and resiliency they have built in. Do they use high availability software so your data isn’t lost in an emergency? Do servers failover so nothing is lost? What is their track record on uptime?

Consider pricing

When looking at different cloud security providers, consider their rates and contracts. Some may charge more for 24/7 phone support than others. Also, some companies may offer more affordable long-term contracts, while others may only provide month-to-month agreements. 

Look at their customer reviews

Before signing any agreement with a new company, take some time to read reviews from other customers who have used them in the past. You can better understand what to expect when working with them. 

Check for certifications and qualifications

Check if your potential cloud security provider has certifications and qualifications that confirm they’re up to the task of securing your data. It’s also important to note whether or not they are compliant with privacy regulations and standards like HIPAA or PCI-DSS. Many organizations require compliance as part of their contract terms.

Also read: Cloud Security Best Practices

Top 10 Cloud Security Solution Providers

The best cloud security solutions help keep your data safe from internal and external threats while making sharing information with customers and employees easier. As more businesses adopt cloud technology, choosing a provider that can meet all of your needs is essential. Here are some top cloud security solution providers to include in your research.

Check Point

The Check Point CloudGuard platform is a cloud-based service designed to help enterprises protect their data from advanced threats, detect zero-day attacks and stop them before they spread across a network. In addition, it offers full visibility into all traffic going in and out of an organization’s network.

Check Point’s networking, and security solutions offer integrated protection against traditional and emerging threats. CloudGuard makes sure that organizations’ data is protected while enabling secure migration to and from public cloud services.

The solution also helps secure hybrid clouds by providing visibility into all workloads across physical, virtual and cloud environments. This unique approach enables enterprises to control their network infrastructure, whether on-premises or in a public or private cloud environment.

With CloudGuard’s single unified console, IT administrators can centrally manage security policies across multiple cloud infrastructures without worrying about moving resources between them or maintaining multiple management consoles.

CloudPassage Halo

A key part of any cloud security strategy should be visibility into cloud apps and workloads running in virtual environments. CloudPassage’s Halo, a SaaS solution, constantly scans data storage repositories, detects unauthorized access attempts, and alerts security teams.

Halo also collects evidence needed to take action against threats so they can be stopped before they cause damage. The solution supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), IBM Cloud, OpenStack and VMware.

Prisma Cloud – Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma Cloud is a cloud-native security platform built to deliver automated, continuous protection of cloud-native applications. The solution leverages machine learning and behavioral analysis to identify threats and provide deep visibility into user activity. Using an agentless approach, it supports AWS Lambda functions, serverless containers, and Kubernetes clusters with policy-based enforcement of security best practices.

Prisma Cloud can be used as a standalone product or as part of Palo Alto Networks’ Next-Generation Security Platform.

Symantec cloud workload protection

Symantec’s Cloud Workload Protection (CWP) offers strong protection against malware and other threats. CWP is available as a standalone product or can be purchased as part of Symantec’s suite of security products. The software is installed on each workload instance in your public cloud environment to protect them from cyberattacks.

It automates security for public cloud workloads, enabling business process improvement, reduced risk, and cost savings. Additionally, it protects your data and applications by continuously monitoring all activity within an instance. If suspicious activity is detected, CWP blocks access to compromised files and alerts you so that you can take action.

The platform also monitors network traffic between workloads and services, providing additional protection against external attacks. By leveraging automation technology, CWP works with your existing IT infrastructure to deliver consistent security across public clouds.

Threat Stack

Threat Stack’s cloud security platform provides all cloud workloads visibility, monitoring, and alerting capabilities. Threat Stack allows you to track the change in applications over time, map vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, monitor application performance and security controls, and automatically identify changes in your environment indicative of an attack.

The solution uses supervised learning technology to detect suspicious behavior on your cloud infrastructure. Once deployed, Threat Stack can help customers understand how their public clouds perform at a granular level through continuous analysis of data from log events and system metadata.

Qualys

Qualys’ cloud security platform offers various services, including vulnerability management, web application scanning, network security monitoring and log analysis. Qualys can also be integrated with other cloud-based applications to ensure that all applications in your infrastructure are secure.

The platform offers a unified environment that provides visibility into security and compliance issues for your entire organization—and it’s also easy to use. It monitors containers, endpoints, mobile devices and virtual machines, making it one of the best solutions for companies looking to build or update their security strategy.

Datadog

This cloud-monitoring tool offers analytics, monitoring, alerting and app integration, giving you complete control over your data infrastructure. Datadog provides dashboards with visualizations of data flow so that you can quickly spot security problems as they happen. Alerts can be sent via email or Slack when key performance indicators are breached.

App integrations offer more detail into traffic patterns to help you optimize data usage across your infrastructure. Datadog helps you identify potential threats to your network before they become a problem. With features like automatic log correlation, cross-platform support and multi-cloud capabilities, Datadog is an excellent choice for businesses looking to protect their data cost-effectively. It’s also a great option if you need visibility into multiple applications on multiple platforms.

Fortinet

Fortinet provides cloud engineers complete visibility into all cloud resources and a single platform to enforce policies across public, private and hybrid clouds. With a comprehensive set of security services that can be deployed across any environment, customers can protect their infrastructure from advanced threats.

Fortinet provides Cloud Security Hub, an integrated solution that protects workloads running in both physical and virtual environments. This solution helps organizations monitor, detect and respond to cyberattacks in real-time by integrating multiple layers of security technology, including firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention system (IPS), next-generation firewall (NGFW) and unified threat management (UTM).

It is fully scalable to meet growing demands as a business grows. It also includes automated deployment capabilities for faster provisioning without affecting performance or causing downtime.

Cisco

Cisco is one of the most well-known providers of cloud security. Their solutions protect your data, applications, and systems across all cloud environments. Cisco offers a wide range of cloud security solutions, including Cisco Umbrella for secure cloud access, Cisco Cloudlock for protection of SaaS applications, Cloud Email Security for blocking and remediating email threats, Stealthwatch Cloud for monitoring IaaS instances, and AppDynamics for application performance monitoring.

Enterprises can choose these solutions or combine them into their custom solution. Cisco’s core focus is protecting its customers’ networks from cyberattacks regardless of where they are hosted–the company offers support for public, private, and hybrid clouds.

CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike offers cloud security platforms that help organizations identify, investigate and respond to cyber attacks within their network. The platform lets users monitor network traffic, detect malware and intrusions across endpoints, and quickly investigate attacks.

It also provides real-time intelligence for better incident response and threat prevention. In addition, it offers endpoint protection capabilities for laptops, desktops and mobile devices, as well as data loss prevention (DLP) for cloud environments. CrowdStrike features a machine learning engine, enabling its products to adapt to new threats and automatically reduce false positives.

Research Your Options Carefully

This list of top cloud security providers isn’t exhaustive, but it will give you a good idea of the features you need to protect your environment.

Once you’ve chosen a cloud security provider, test their services by conducting regular audits and tests. Not only will this help protect your organization against outside threats, but it can also ensure that your current service is performing correctly. Although most providers offer free trials or demo accounts, it may be worth investing in additional testing to ensure your data will be safe.

Read next: Top Cybersecurity Companies & Service Providers

The post Best Cloud Security Solutions appeared first on IT Business Edge.

Therefore, if you’re looking for software solutions that are ideal for managing your support services, you should be able to benefit from ITSM platforms like Zendesk and Jira. These two tools have been designed specifically for companies that need an organized approach to provide their customers with excellent support.

Also read: Top ITSM Tools & Software

What is Zendesk?

Zendesk is a customer service and software-as-a-service (SaaS) support solution that manages support issues and tickets from multiple channels. In addition, its self-service portal offers live chat, email, phone, and social media integrations. The platform also allows you to organize your support team into different departments based on their roles within your organization, such as sales, marketing, or technical services.

Key Differentiators

• Zendesk is best suited for end-user communication.
• With Zendesk, you can customize reports and get insights into the metrics, such as your customer base’s health and how it affects your business.
• Zendesk facilitates collaboration. When an issue occurs, agents can exchange information through private comments to help address the problem as quickly as possible.
• The built-in SLA (service-level agreement) in Zendesk allows agents to establish their criteria and use up-to-date measures to track the progress of a particular ticket.
• Zendesk is a multichannel support application that can be accessed by email, social networking sites, chat, phone, message, and SMS.

What is Jira?

Jira is an issue-tracking tool that helps organizations develop software efficiently. Through Jira, you can set up your team’s workflow and prioritize tasks, leading to more efficient development processes and greater productivity.

Jira offers several capabilities, including built-in support for agile development, a complete mobile app suite to keep teams connected on projects, a help desk solution with ticketing functionality, and even a user management system that provides role-based access control. It spans a range of functions and use cases, from service desk to HR services, facilities, operations and more.

Key Differentiators

• With custom SLAs and reporting, Jira allows you to track your team’s response time, resolution data, etc.
• Users can set up automated rules in order to automate repetitive tasks.
• The tool is highly configurable; you may create different directories and procedures for task completion and assign importance to tasks.
• Jira is best suited for project management.
• Jira provides a self-service platform in which your employees can find answers to frequently asked questions.

What are the Similarities Between Zendesk and Jira?

Zendesk and Jira are enterprise-level products designed to address a wide range of needs in one cohesive system. Both tools offer configurability and customization options and are highly scalable. If you’re looking for an all-in-one ticketing solution that can grow with your company over time, either could fit your needs perfectly.

While there are some differences between them, they share much in common—most notably a focus on organization and ease of use. Other similarities include:

• Both offer tools that can help you manage support tickets and communicate with customers on a day-to-day basis.
• They offer add-ons that give you additional functionality.
• Both tools provide knowledge base integration, multichannel support, and SLA reporting.
• They’re both cloud-based SaaS programs.
• Both platforms offer time tracking, ticketing, and integration with other popular apps.

Zendesk vs. Jira: How are They Different?

By providing both project and operational support tools, Jira covers concept to launch, while Zendesk focuses on communication, support, and feedback.

In reality, both are essential to managing your business and processes. IT leaders use Zendesk for maintaining ongoing communication with customers and employees, while project managers use Jira to plan projects and measure outcomes. Jira offers more of a project management focus, but it does have customer service capabilities that allow you to track requests and organize tickets by status.

Zendesk vs. Jira Service Desk: Pricing

How to Choose a Service Desk Platform

Choosing the right service desk platform for your company is often a matter of determining your specific needs and use case. Some companies may need more robust ticketing capabilities than others, while some organizations might want to be able to manage multiple software products from one place.

In addition, some companies may need more extensive reporting features than others. Ultimately, you’ll want to consider your requirements carefully before deciding which platform will work best for you.

We found that, as in-house help desk software, Zendesk is best at making two-way communication easy. You can integrate with tons of different apps and customize it all around your business. So, if you’re looking for in-house help desk software that lets you communicate easily between users and IT departments, go with Zendesk.

Meanwhile, Jira has a good knowledge base, automates many routine tasks, and can adapt to your processes over time. The strength of Jira is robust enterprise-level features like multiple activities feeds at a project, team, issue, user levels, and assessment/reporting tools. If you’re looking to support a large team and need to see exactly who’s doing what at any time with complete visibility into their workflow and issues, then Jira is your best option.

Read next: Best IT Project Management Tools & Software

The post Zendesk vs. Jira: ITSM Software Comparison appeared first on IT Business Edge.

As with traditional ethics, data ethics exist to protect individuals, groups, and society. But where ethics have historically focused on morality and an individual’s behavior, data ethics focus on technology, its potential and its misuse.

See our AZBEE award-winning article: AI Suffers from Bias—But It Doesn’t Have To

What is Data Ethics?

Data ethics are the guidelines that govern how we handle data for customers and society as a whole. These are best practices that should be followed by every business to ensure that privacy, security, and transparency standards are met.

At a time when even the largest tech companies are running into controversy over data algorithms, how we handle data touches on issues of regulatory compliance, data privacy, and fairness. How we handle data has the potential to affect the reputation of our companies and ourselves.

Why Should Companies Care about Data Ethics?

Because today’s consumers are digital natives, they expect your company to be just as digitally savvy as they are. If you collect and use their data in unethical or manipulative ways, they’ll write you off when they find out.

Virtually every organization that processes data—every bank, insurance company, retailer, health care provider, social media company and government agency—has a stake in how its customers’ personal information is collected and used. And if people don’t trust an organization to respect their privacy and personal data, they can do business elsewhere.

Bad press is bad press. There’s no way around it: If you come under fire for mishandling customer data, people will talk about it online and elsewhere, which means your brand reputation could suffer even more than whatever penalty comes along with violating data laws.

In today’s highly competitive marketplaces, companies must work hard to earn and maintain their customer’s trust. That means being honest about collecting and using data and taking steps to protect your customers’ sensitive information from unauthorized access or misuse. It also means giving them control over their own data.

See the Top GRC Platforms & Tools

What Are the Important Aspects of Data Ethics?

When you collect and store data, it becomes your responsibility. This is why companies have a legal obligation to protect user information. There are also business benefits to keeping your customer’s trust; customers who think a company can be trusted will be more likely to return, buy more, and recommend it to others.

Data ethics matter so much—they establish a baseline of trust between you and your users. The most important aspects of data ethics are ownership, transparency, consent, privacy, compliance, and openness. These components define what good data ethics look like in practice.

Ownership

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) essentially says that individuals own their data. As an entrepreneur or manager, it is crucial to keep track of these rules and regulations. A simple way to ensure compliance with these regulations is by implementing an ethical approach when collecting data from users, particularly through websites or mobile apps.

Transparency

Consumers want full transparency when they share their personal information with businesses.

Transparency should always be at the forefront of our minds when designing any type of product. Consumers must know exactly how their data will be used and which third parties might see it. They need to know precisely how long that information is kept, what security measures are being taken, etc.

Consent

Digital consumer rights are not only applicable offline but also online. If a company wishes to collect and store user data, it must ensure they obtain consent from users before doing so. There needs to be an opt-in element in place; you can’t just assume someone wants your service because they use your product or visit your site. You have to get permission from them first—this is referred to as informed consent. 

Privacy

Privacy is about making sure your customers understand how their personal information will be used. This includes telling them who has access to their data, where it’s stored, how long it’s stored for, and what security measures are in place to protect it. The most important thing here is transparency; there shouldn’t be any hidden terms or clauses that could potentially violate a customer’s trust.

Compliance

This refers to ensuring your business complies with all relevant laws and regulations regarding data protection. In other words, you must ensure all processes comply with GDPR rules and regulations, as well as other applicable laws like COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act ), FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), GLBA (Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act), etc.

Openness

Openness regarding data ethics means giving control back to users. Many people claim that a key component of ethical behavior is empowerment, specifically giving control back to those whose data is being collected. Just as providing clear ownership, transparency, and consent will build trust between you and your customers, empowering them by allowing them full control over their personal information builds even more credibility.

Also read: Why GDPR Must Be an Integral Part of Your GRC Framework

​​A Framework for Applying Data Ethics

Today’s companies, government agencies and individuals face complex ethical issues in data collection, analysis and disclosure. What standards and principles should guide entities seeking to collect personal data? How can they be applied when addressing specific use cases?

It is important to understand what constitutes data ethics to answer these questions. There are two main components that make up data ethics:

• The underlying philosophical or theoretical foundation (or frameworks) used to determine right and wrong behavior
• The actual business practices that follow from those foundations

Enterprises can apply data ethics using frameworks such as fair information practices (FIP), privacy by design (PbD), fairness, transparency & accountability (FT&A), trust framework for Big Data analytics, etc. These models are not mutually exclusive but rather complement each other. For example, FIP could be considered a foundational component, while PbD guides how to operationalize those foundational principles into day-to-day activities.

This framework is designed to help you think through three core aspects of data ethics:

Personal data collection

Enterprises must consider whether or not it is appropriate to collect personal information about their customers. If so, what types of information should be collected? When does customer consent become necessary? Do you need explicit consent, or does implied consent suffice under certain circumstances? What steps should you take to ensure that your customers understand how and why they’re being asked for their information? And finally, how do you determine when it’s no longer necessary to retain that data?

Data use and disclosure 

Once an enterprise has obtained its customer’s personal data, how will it use and disclose that information? When is it appropriate to share that data with third parties? Are there limits on who can access or view a customer’s personal information within your organization? What about when you transfer that data to a third-party service provider (e.g., cloud storage)? Should you anonymize or pseudonymize your customers’ data before sharing it with others? And finally, what steps should be taken to ensure that your customers understand how their data is being used?

Access and transparency

Finally, we must consider whether or not our enterprises have provided reasonable access to their customers so they can learn more about how we are using their personal data. If so, do our entities offer sufficient transparency such that people can meaningfully exercise those rights? Does our privacy policy contain clear and concise language that allows consumers to understand what we collect from them and why? Do we provide opportunities for people to delete certain pieces of information from our systems if they want to erase them from our databases permanently?

These three areas (Personal Data Collection, Use & Disclosure, and Access & Transparency) are essential components of any data ethics framework. They also serve as a good starting point for your enterprise to begin thinking through these issues.

Best Data Ethics Practices

These are the principles that should guide your development and practice of data ethics.

Establish clear policies and procedures

You need written policies and procedures for protecting consumer data, including what types of consumer information you collect, how long you keep it, who has access to it, and what steps will be taken when there’s a breach of security or unauthorized release of consumer information.

Get employee buy-in

Developing and implementing your policies requires involvement from all levels of management and frontline employees. This may seem like a big job, but having a formal process for reviewing data protection policies and updating them regularly helps keep everyone on board.

Make sure your IT systems are secure

There are many ways to safeguard your computer systems against malware and hacking attempts. Hire a reputable computer security firm to regularly audit your systems, follow their recommendations, and ensure employees know how to spot potential threats.

Monitor activity closely

Make sure you know where personal data is stored, whether online or offline, and take steps to prevent accidental loss or theft of that information.

Encourage consumers to provide informed consent

When obtaining consent from consumers, clearly explain why you’re collecting their personal information and what you plan to do with it. Communicate any risks associated with providing that information and offer choices (such as opting out) whenever possible.

Be transparent about changes in policy

If your company changes its data collection or usage policies, inform customers immediately so they can make informed decisions about doing business with you going forward.

Maintaining Customers’ Trust

As you implement a data ethics program within your organization, it’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What works well for one enterprise may not be suitable for another. This is why it’s critical to determine what works best in your specific context and then develop an appropriate plan of action based on those findings. The trust of your customers depends on it.

Read next: Using Responsible AI to Push Digital Transformation

The post Why Data Ethics are Important for Your Business appeared first on IT Business Edge.

According to a study by Markets and Markets, the data science market size is projected to grow from $95.3 billion USD in 2021 to $322.9 billion USD in 2026, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.7%.

This growth will be driven by factors such as an increase in cloud computing infrastructure and services; proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT); rising investments in research and development activities pertaining to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML); and growing demand for data scientists across various industry verticals such as financial services, retail and consumer goods, manufacturing, and logistics.

As a result of this growth, the adoption of AI/ML solutions will only increase among enterprises, leading to the need for more experts in big data and data analytics.

Also read: Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software 2022

Top 6 Big Data and Data Analytics Jobs

Here then are six of the most in-demand Big Data jobs, along with their qualifications, certifications and salary ranges.

Data scientist

A data scientist uses computer programming, statistics, mathematics, and machine learning to analyze how data impacts your organization as well as how it can be used to solve problems. In addition, they use their skills to build models for predictive analysis and work on improving algorithms used by businesses.

Requirements and certifications

It’s possible to get into some entry-level positions without experience if you have relevant coursework or an undergraduate degree in computer science or math. However, to advance further, you’ll want to get certified through organizations like the Data Science Council of America (DASCA).

Responsibilities

Regardless of what type of data science you choose to specialize in, your duties will typically include collecting and cleaning datasets; determining which questions you should ask; and writing code, analyzing results, and creating reports that present findings.

Average salary

According to Indeed, the average salary of data scientists in the United States is $102,312 per year.

Also read: Best Data Analytics Certifications 2022

Data architect

A data architect, also known as a chief data officer (CDO), takes a high-level view of your organization’s data and how to use it effectively. The role includes collecting, classifying, storing, organizing, managing, and making accessible an organization’s data.

Additionally, a data architect focuses on improving business processes through tech solutions such as digital platforms like cloud computing.

Requirements and certifications

To become a data architect, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or another relevant field. Also, a certified data management professional certification is seen as a plus.

Moreover, most employers prefer candidates with experience working with large amounts of data and knowledge of multiple programming languages, including Java, C++, and Python.

Responsibilities

Some duties include determining when to implement new technologies and systems, analyzing how current systems can be improved, and implementing new ways for employees to collect data. They may also create policies for handling sensitive information or developing new security measures for protecting private data from hackers or other cybercriminals.

Average salary

According to Payscale, the average salary of a data architect is $123,347 per year.

BI developer

A business intelligence (BI) developer is an expert software engineer who works with big data platforms to analyze raw data from an organization’s internal or external sources.

A BI developer uses tools like SAS, Oracle, SQL Server, and R to help companies develop strategies based on their data analysis. They also create reports that a company’s executives can use to make informed decisions about running their business.

Most organizations today use a combination of cloud-based and on-premises business intelligence solutions, which means that there will be plenty of opportunities for qualified BI developers over the next decade.

Requirements and certifications

A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field is the minimum requirement; having a master’s degree can increase your chances of landing a job and increasing your salary.

Additional certifications such as Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) will give you even more advantages when applying for jobs as a business intelligence developer.

Responsibilities

The primary duty of a BI developer is to collect data from various systems within an organization and then transform it into meaningful information that can be analyzed. The results of these analyses are then presented back to decision-makers, so they can use them to make better decisions regarding operational processes, organizational strategy, financial planning, and sales forecasting.

Average salary

According to Salary.com, the average BI developer salary in the United States is $91,728 per year.

Also read: Best BI Tools 2022: Business Intelligence Software

Data engineer

A data engineer is an integral member of a development team who must collect, store, analyze, report on, and/or visualize various forms of data for business purposes. A data engineer can also act as a bridge between developers, who may be writing code, and data scientists, who may be analyzing or visualizing data.

Requirements and certifications

You need to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or mathematics; however, some employers might prefer you to have a master’s degree. Having knowledge of Python and SQL is also essential.

And if you want to work with Hadoop—the open-source framework for processing large amounts of data—you should consider becoming certified through Cloudera, Hortonworks, Oracle, or MapR Technologies.

Responsibilities

As a data engineer, you will likely be tasked with collecting, storing, and analyzing huge volumes of structured and unstructured data. For example, you could develop ETL (extracting, transforming, loading) processes to cleanse raw information into something more useful for analysis, create reports using Tableau or other visualization tools, build dashboards for your company’s executives using QlikView or Power BI, or create predictive models using R language programming software.

Average salary

According to PayScale, the average salary of a data engineer in the U.S. is $93,272 per year.

Also read: Qlik Sense vs Tableau: Comparison

Data analyst

A data analyst is a professional who analyzes raw data to derive meaning and glean insights that can be used to improve business operations. These individuals can help businesses interpret information, from customer behaviors to employment trends, using a business intelligence platform and data visualization tools to work with their company’s raw data.

Requirements and certifications

To become a data analyst, you need at least some post-secondary education in statistics or computer science. Many employers prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in these fields.

In addition to formal education, you should also be familiar with basic programming languages like Python and SQL. And while most employers don’t require it, certification from organizations like ISACA (International Information Systems Audit and Control Association) can also be helpful when looking for job opportunities.

Responsibilities

Depending on the level of education, training, or experience, a typical day for a data analyst might include working with Excel spreadsheets, analyzing large datasets using statistical software such as SAS or SPSS, writing reports about findings based on that analysis, and presenting those findings to upper management.

Average salary

According to Indeed, the average salary for a data analyst with one to five years of experience is $65,236 per year in the United States.

Decision scientist

A decision scientist refers to a professional who utilizes scientific methods, like data analytics, statistics, and machine learning, to solve business problems. The demand for decision scientists is expected to grow substantially during the next several years because businesses must constantly learn how they can make smarter decisions faster.

Decision scientists work with algorithms that help them analyze massive amounts of data quickly to determine which actions will produce optimal results. They use these insights to optimize their organization’s processes and operations.

Requirements and certifications

Decision scientists must possess at least a bachelor’s degree in statistics or mathematics, and they can earn certification through professional organizations like Decision Sciences Institute (DSI).

To be successful as a decision scientist, you should understand computer science fundamentals and have an aptitude for math and logic. It’s also essential that you have strong communication skills since you will likely be working with people from many different departments throughout your organization.

Responsibilities

Decision scientist duties include developing mathematical models, applying statistical analysis techniques, creating algorithms, identifying trends and patterns within datasets, building predictive models based on these insights, and interpreting results to make recommendations to other team members and stakeholders.

Average salary

According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a decision scientist is $97,546 per year in the United States.

The Future of Data Analytics and Big Data Professionals

Big Data and its many applications are only in their infancy, so the future is bright and vast, and with it comes an incredible array of opportunities for individuals skilled in data analytics. No matter the industry, with so many roles to choose from, there’s sure to be a place where your skills can shine.

Read next: 8 Top Data Startups

The post Top Big Data & Data Analytics Jobs in 2022 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

But with many different options on the market, it can be hard to know where to start. Therefore, when implementing data cataloging practices, it’s important to understand what the technology is and how it’s important for businesses of all sizes, as well as how to choose a software solution that fits your business’s needs.

What is Data Cataloging?

A data catalog is a comprehensive database of all enterprise data assets and includes metadata (data about data) such as ownership, custodianship, lifecycle state, lineage information, business value, and cost center. Data catalogs are frequently used to enforce corporate governance over IT assets and restrict unauthorized access to sensitive information.

A good data catalog serves as a central repository for all information related to your enterprise’s metadata. This includes records or files of any kind, structured or unstructured, that you might want to search against or mine with your business intelligence tools.

Also read: Best BI Tools 2022: Business Intelligence Software

Why Do You Need Data Catalog Tools?

Businesses and individuals spend vast amounts of time and money amassing valuable data in their digital collections. But when you’re working with thousands or even millions of files, including photos, financial documents, reports, and more, keeping track of everything can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, data catalog tools can help you organize files and make it easy to find any file whenever you need it.

And if anything happens to your devices, such as damage or loss, most of these programs will let you automatically restore all of your files from backup copies. So, no matter what type of information you have saved, a good data catalog tool will make sure it’s organized and accessible.

Also read: Best Backup Software 2022

What are the Benefits of Data Catalog Tools?

A data catalog tool enables you to bring your organization’s data into one place to centralize and streamline business processes. As you consider data catalog tools, it’s important to think about how they can benefit your business.

Better organization

Organizing your data can make it easy to find new customers and stay compliant with regulations. With a good system for managing information, you’ll have everything where you need it when you need it, whether that means having customer information handy or knowing where all of your sensitive documents are located.

Stronger security

Having a secure system for storing your company’s data is essential to avoid breaches. A good data catalog will help keep sensitive information safe by keeping track of who has access to what files and ensuring only authorized employees can get their hands on specific pieces of information.

Easier access

Having easy access to all of your company’s data is essential if you want employees across departments to work together effectively. When different teams know exactly where to find what they need, communication between departments becomes more straightforward and more effective.

Improved performance

When everyone knows exactly where to find any information they might need, everyone can spend less time searching for files and more time working on projects that move your business forward.

Cost savings

The best data catalog software won’t just save you time—it’ll also save you money. Taking some of the strain off IT professionals frees them up to handle other tasks, which means paying fewer outside consultants and cutting down on hardware costs. If a big part of your budget goes toward technology, cutting down on those expenses can add up over time.

Considerations When Choosing Data Catalog Software

When choosing a data catalog software, be sure to consider how well-suited your current technology stack integrates with the tool as well as how much support is available for your team to learn how to use it.

In addition, the right data catalog tool should reduce your time to market, increase sales, and improve business intelligence as well as impact how quickly you can get your organization’s data in order. When making a decision, ask yourself:

• How do I want to work with my data?
• How much am I willing to spend?
• What kind of functionality do I need now versus down the road?
• What are my primary goals for buying a data catalog software package?

These questions can help determine which data catalog is best for your needs.

Top 7 Data Catalog Tools

While there are a lot of tools out there that help you manage your data and metadata, it can be challenging to find one that works well with multiple data management tools or systems. Often it can take a long time to figure out what you need, so here are our picks for the top seven data catalog tools.

Collibra

Collibra is an enterprise-oriented data governance tool for data management. It helps companies gain control over their data by creating standards, enforcing policies, and streamlining processes across their entire organization.

In addition, it allows users to manage their company’s information assets in one place and provides them with a single view of every piece of information they have to make better decisions faster.

Key Differentiators

• Collibra data governance and privacy capabilities ensure enterprise data is clean, correct, and consistent by standardizing definitions, establishing ownership, protecting sensitive data, and documenting and managing policies.
• Machine learning powers Collibra’s AI-driven insights engine, which helps customers understand how their data is being used, who’s using it, and where they are using it.
• Collibra offers out-of-the-box integration with all major databases.
• Collibra creates an audit trail for every piece of data in your organization, which allows users to see where each piece of information came from and when it was last modified or accessed. It also provides a visual representation of how data is connected across different systems, applications, and databases.
• The platform includes security measures such as encryption at rest, encryption during transmission, and administrator role-based access control (RBAC).

Pros:

• The platform allows self-service data access.
• Employees are able to collaborate seamlessly.
• Collibra enables a unified view of all your data.

Cons:

• Some business users find the Collibra user interface (UI) non-intuitive.

Pricing: Collibra doesn’t provide pricing details on the website. However, they offer a 14-day free trial, and prospective buyers can request a live demo.

data.world

data.world is a cloud-native enterprise data catalog SaaS (software as a service) platform that provides customers with a broad context for understanding their data.

data.world offers an enterprise data catalog as part of their metadata management system, enabling customers to develop reusable, scalable data and analysis. It also includes a knowledge graph to improve data discovery, agile data governance, and actionable insights.

Key Differentiators

• A knowledge graph powers the product.
• data.world data discovery automates search and classification, making it easier for stewards to locate and act on sensitive data inside the data catalog.
• data.world uses metadata collectors tools to aggregate and manage the metadata for all of the organization’s data.

Pros:

• data.world offers an intuitive UI.
• The vendor provides upfront pricing information, so prospective buyers can determine if the tool price is within their budget.

Cons:

• Compared to other vendors, data.world does not have as many third-party integrations.

Pricing: data.world offers different price plans for different customer tiers, including Enterprise, User, and Community plans.

• Enterprise-level plans include Essentials ($50,000), Standard ($100,000), Premier ($150,000), and Premier Plus (custom pricing).
• The User tiers support a maximum of 10 users in each tier, with a monthly fee of $5 per user at high volume and $33 per month per additional user.
• The Community tier includes a free option and a professional plan, which costs $12 per month.

Alation

Alation’s data catalog solution gives you comprehensive control over metadata, enabling quick searches and access to information from anywhere in your organization. Additionally, it provides organizational metadata and technical structure components to easily organize data across cloud services and on-premises systems.

Alation also allows you to create a centralized place for all your data without sacrificing flexibility or functionality.

Key Differentiators

• Alation offers data visualization.
• Real-time reporting and analytics are available.
• The platform supports behavioral intelligence that uses machine learning to index a broad range of data sources, including relational databases, cloud data lakes, and file systems.
• Guided navigation is provided when data consumers query via Alation’s intelligent SQL editor or search using natural language.

Pros:

• Alation offers good machine learning capabilities.
• Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and other research firms have rated Alation as an industry leader.

Cons:

• Some users find Alation licensing terms confusing.
• Users have reported concerns with Alation’s data lineage, such as the difficulty in tracking data from its origin to its consumption point.

Pricing: Alation’s pricing detail is available on request. Prospective buyers can also join Alation’s weekly live demo to learn more about the tool.

Apache Atlas

Apache Atlas is an open-source data governance and metadata management platform that makes it easier to collect, process, and maintain information. It keeps track of data processes and stores data, files, and metadata repository updates.

Apache Atlas allows enterprises to catalog their data assets, classify and manage them, and collaborate on them with data scientists, analysts, and the data governance team.

Key Differentiators

• Apache Atlas allows users to create and classify files, tables, or schemas.
• Apache Atlas UI allows data consumers to search and filter.
• Apache Atlas offers better data governance, allowing users to create new metadata types and instances and share metadata across teams via centralized analytics.
• Security and data masking are provided.

• Apache Atlas offers centralized data governance.
• Intuitive user interface allows users to view data lineage.
• Data access authorization/masking is enabled based on classifications associated with entities in Apache Atlas.

Pricing: Apache Atlas is licensed under open-source terms.

erwin

erwin data catalog is a metadata management software that helps enterprises understand their data at rest and in motion. It organizes data and metadata, so data management, analysis, and decision-making may be done quickly. The product enables users to automate data collection, integration, activation, and governance.

Key Differentiators

• The platform offers drag-and-drop data mapping.
• Version management and change control are available.
• Users can access data profiling and quality scoring.
• erwin provides an enterprise data catalog and metadata harvesting.

Pros:

• The platform allows users to support IT audits and regulatory compliance.
• Erwin provides a centralized data governance framework.
• Erwin analyzes, catalogs, and synchronizes metadata with data management and governance artifacts in real-time.

Cons:

• Some users found Erwin to be more expensive compared to its competitors.
• The complex user interface was a noted drawback.

Pricing: Pricing for this product is available on request, although a free trial is available.

Informatica

Informatica’s Enterprise Data Catalog is an integrated, centralized repository of metadata that provides a single point of access to all enterprise information assets. It helps enterprises control their information assets and reduce IT costs by automating metadata management.

The data catalog stores comprehensive details about enterprise-wide information assets such as databases, applications, web services, XML schemas, and so on.

Key Differentiators

• The use of artificial intelligence-powered domain discovery, data similarity, and business term connections is available for automated data curation.
• End-to-end data lineage is supported by tracking data movement.
• The platform provides data asset analytics.
• Informatica automatically scans across multicloud platforms, BI (business intelligence) tools, ETL (extract, transform, and load), and third-party metadata libraries.

Pros:

• Informatica is easy to use.
• The platform has a friendly user interface.
• Enterprise users find the data asset scanning feature impressive.

Cons:

• Some customers cite setup and configuration concerns.
• Others cite implementation and IT architecture concerns.

Pricing: Pricing details for this product are available upon request.

Infogix Data360

Infogix Data360 (now Infogix Precisely Data360) is a data governance, catalog, and metadata management tool founded in 1982 that was acquired by Precisely in 2021. It automates governance and stewardship operations to provide granular visibility into data origin, usage, meaning, ownership, and quality.

Key Differentiators

• Infogix Data360 uses AI to detect and tag data automatically.
• Automated metadata harvest is available.
• Infogix Data360 offers automated enterprise and technical data search.
• A business glossary is available.

Pros:

• The software is easy to use.
• Business users find Infogix Data360’s intelligent automation helpful capability.

Cons:

• Some customers cite integration with third-party service concerns.

Pricing: Pricing details and a demo for this product are available on request.

Choosing the Right Data Catalog Tool for Your Business

As you decide which data catalog software is right for your business, remember that not every tool is suitable for every company. While one solution may be perfect for one company, another may be better suited to another firm’s needs.

A good data catalog tool should have extensive automation and workflows to help you automate processes. It should also integrate easily with your existing systems, like cloud providers or on-premises applications, as well as offer a simple and easy-to-use user interface.

Further reading:

• Top Data Quality Tools & Software
• Best Data Collection Tools and Software
• Best Data Profiling Tools
• Top DataOps Tools

The post Top Data Catalog Tools & Software appeared first on IT Business Edge.

Business analysts help enterprises make the most of their data by detecting trends and patterns. They may also be called upon to create internal or external reports summarizing findings and communicating insights. 

What is a Business Analyst Certification?

A business analyst certification is a document that shows that an individual has acquired specific knowledge, skills, and abilities in business analysis. Many businesses want to see certifications as part of an employee’s job application; it demonstrates a person’s commitment to their career. These days, there are many options for certifying your business acumen. Not all credentials are created equal—and some are better than others, depending on your goals and experience level. 

Is a Business Analyst Certification Worth It?

As enterprises get larger and more complex and opportunities abound, a business analyst certification may provide a career-launching springboard. It is increasingly difficult to compete with other candidates in today’s job market when trying to find work as a business analyst. To stand out from others who are also vying for jobs in your industry, you should consider gaining one of these valuable certifications recognized throughout all major industries. 

When it comes to working in a highly competitive environment like many tech companies, having some extra credentials can help you prove your worth to employers. After reading our guide on the best business analyst certifications for 2022, you will be able to decide which certification will suit your needs best. 

Also read: Best Data Analytics Tools for Analyzing & Presenting Data

The Benefits of Becoming a Certified Business Analyst

Certification can help you stand out to employers and increase your credibility with your colleagues. A certification shows commitment and dedication to your career. There are several benefits that the right business analyst certification can provide: 

• Employers value recognized credentials from industry-leading organizations. 
• Receive recognition from peers: Many managers rely on their peers’ input when deciding who should be hired or promoted. 
• Increased credibility in front of clients: Achieving one of these certifications doesn’t just give you a certificate—it gives you professional recognition. It adds weight to your CV and opens up opportunities.

Top 10 Best Business Analyst Certifications

There are many different certifications available to business analysts (BA). Deciding which type is right for you depends on your job role, skill set, and career goals.

Check out our list of BA certifications to help you choose which one is best suited to your needs.

Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)

The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) certification is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to apply analytics tools and techniques to a business problem. The CAP exam questions cover all seven domains of the analytics process, including business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, methodology selection, model building, deployment, and lifecycle management. 

Earning CAP certification can boost your earning potential—and it only takes about three months to complete all required training courses and pass exams. This makes it one of the most cost-effective certifications on our list; if you’re serious about pursuing a career in analytics, it should be at or near the top of your list.

Requirements

Candidates must meet some specific requirements before applying for the CAP certification. They include:

• 3 years of experience with MA/MS in a related area
• 5 years of experience with BA/BS in a related area
• 7 years of experience with any degree in an unrelated analytics area

Cost: CAP offers two pricing models, one for INFORMS members at $495 and the other for nonmembers at $695.

IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)

Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) covers the foundational knowledge of business analysis according to the BABOK (business analyst body of knowledge) guide. The course is designed for both novice and experienced professionals who want to better understand what it means to be a BA. It will help beginners know what a BA does and how they can add value to their organization. Experienced BAs can use ECBA as a refresher before taking more advanced courses or to prepare for certification exams.

Requirements

• To be eligible for this certification, candidates must complete a minimum of 21 professional development (PD) hours within the last four years.

Cost

IIBA Certification of Capabilities in Business Analysis (CCBA)

Capabilities in business analysis certification is an advanced certification that builds on ECBA. Business analysts with more than two years of experience may benefit from the CCBA’s certification of their capacity to take on larger and more complex project responsibilities.

Requirements

Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible to earn the CCBA certification:

• Candidates must have a minimum of 3,750 hours of work experience in business analysis within the last 7 years.
• A minimum of 900 hours must be completed in each of two of the six BABOK guide knowledge areas. Alternatively, a minimum of 500 hours must be completed in each of four of the six BABOK guide knowledge areas within these 3,750 minimum hours required.
• Complete a minimum of 21 hours of PD within the last 4 years. 
• Candidates must provide references.

Cost

IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) is one of the most important certificates for business professionals. It is a professional certification program for business analysts. This certification is designed for those who have extensive business knowledge and years of practical company experience. It is the highest competency-based certification for business analysts offered by IIBA, and analysts who have it are among the most senior analysts in the industry.

This certification validates a person’s business analysis abilities and competencies. It is ideal for people who have extensive experience, have the CCBA certification, manage their enterprises, and train their workers. This certification is also suitable for hybrid business analysis professionals such as project managers, testers, quality assurance (QA) professionals, change/transformation managers, and designers.

Requirements

Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible to earn the CCBA certification:

• Completing a minimum of 7,500 hours of business analysis work experience in the last 10 years is required. 
• Complete a minimum of 900 hours in 4 of the 6 BABOK guide knowledge areas within this experience, for at least 3,600 of the required 7,500 total. 
• Completed at least 35 hours of professional development in the past four years.
• Requires two references.

Cost

IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)

The Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA) certification offered by the International Qualifications Board for Business Analysts (IQBBA) is a professional accreditation that validates your foundational knowledge of business analysis. 

As one of our best business analyst certifications, it will help you develop and prove your competency in core BA skills. It’s also a great starting point if you’re looking to pursue a career in business analysis. After getting certified, candidates should be able to demonstrate their understanding of: processes within an organization, business goals and objectives, designing business solutions, and working in innovation, requirements gathering techniques, and scope management.

Requirement

IQBBA requires candidates to have a basic experience in solution concept, design, or development.

Best for: 

• Business and system analysts
• Requirements engineers
• Product owners
• Product managers 

Cost: The foundation level exam fee is $229.

PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)

Project Management Institute (PMI) offers this certification. The professional business analyst (PBA) certification is designed for business analysts who work on projects or applications and program managers who use analytics. The certification focuses on hands-on business assessment training and examination of the principles of business evaluation.

Whether you’re a project or program manager who does business analysis as part of your job, the PMI-PBA certification is suitable for you.

Requirement

PMI certification prerequisites are based on your education level.

Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree) 

• 60 months of business analysis experience
• 35 contact hours of education in business analysis

Bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent

• 36 months of business analysis experience
• 35 contact hours of education in business analysis

Cost: PMI offers separate charges for members and non-members. The exam price is $405 for members and $555 for non-members.

Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA-CBDA)

The IIBA-CBDA certification is awarded to professionals with a minimum of two to three years of experience in business analysis who have taken and passed an exam. Candidates should have practical skills in one or more application areas, such as change management, strategy execution, information security risk management, and customer experience management. CBDA certification will let employers know that you are qualified to help their organization manage data analytics initiatives and priorities.

Certification exam knowledge area

• Identify the research questions 
• Source data
• Analyze data 
• Interpret and report results 
• Use results to influence business decision making
• Guide organization-level strategy for business analytics 

Cost

Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC) 

The IIBA-AAC gives you a look into how agile methodologies are implemented and can set you up for success as a BA in an agile environment. It’s helpful if you’re working with a high-performing team that focuses on completing projects quickly and has to deal with constantly changing objectives and requirements. 

This certification will help you achieve proficiency in agile requirements, analysis, and design. Many business analysts find that Agile Analysis Certification helps them keep their teams organized and focused.

Certification exam knowledge area

The IIBA-AAC exam is structured across four knowledge areas and consists of 85 multiple-choice, scenario-based questions to be completed in two hours. They include:

• Agile Mindset 
• Strategy Horizon 
• Initiative Horizon 
• Delivery Horizon

Cost

Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) 

The Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) is a personal certification designed for professionals who work in requirements engineering, business analysis, and testing. The IREB created the certification program, the courses are delivered by independent training providers, and the CPRE exam may be taken at recognized certification bodies. 

CPRE is available at three tiers:

• Foundation Level is where you will be certified in the basics of requirements engineering
• Advanced Level follows and covers three paths: Requirements Elicitation and Consolidation, Requirements Modeling, and Requirements Management. You must wait 12 months after passing the first test to take the advanced level exam. 
• Expert Level certifies you at the “highest level of expert knowledge,” which encompasses your hands-on experience and the skills and capabilities you’ve earned from previous certifications.

Validity: The CPRE certificate has lifetime validity.

Cost: The Certification Bodies set the certification fees, which vary based on the country. Contact the certification bodies directly to inquire about pricing for your country.

SimpliLearn Business Analyst Masters Program

This IIBA-accredited Business Analyst Masters Program is designed for those new to the industry or changing careers. Upon completing the training, you will get 35 IIBA and 25 PMI professional development units. It offers to teach Excel, CBAP, Tableau, Agile ScrumMaster, SQL, CCBA, and Agile Scrum Foundation.  

You will learn to develop interactive dashboards, use statistical tools and concepts, master the agile scrum process, plan and track Scrum projects, understand fundamental business analysis methodology, and use Tableau to analyze data.

Requirement

• Bachelor’s degree in any discipline 
• Basic knowledge of mathematics and statistics

Cost: SimpliLearn charges $1,399 for this course or $116.58/mo with SimpleLearn split-it.

Read next: 6 Ways Your Business Can Benefit from DataOps

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