05/19/2008

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced open client and partner testing of the new IBM® Optim™ Data Privacy Solution for use with SAP® solutions, which provides advanced enterprise data management and data privacy capabilities in support of SAP applications.

ebizQ received the following:

The IBM Optim Data Privacy Solution offers data masking techniques to protect privacy in the more vulnerable development, testing and training environments. This capability goes beyond the typical controls and authorization strategies available to protect application data in SAP solution-based production environments.

"Today, it is imperative that companies implement comprehensive data protection strategies across their enterprise IT environments, with protecting data privacy as one of the key components," stated Jim Lee, Director of Optim Product Line Management for IBM. "Optim provides powerful data transformation capabilities to mask personal information, so that companies can use it safely for application testing. And with Optim’s capabilities to scale across an enterprise, companies can quickly achieve measurable benefits. IBM remains committed to delivering solutions that help ease the pains associated with privacy compliance, now and moving forward."

The Optim Data Privacy Solution for use with SAP solutions addresses privacy issues by delivering application-specific templates that include predefined attributes, for example to de-identify employee data in the SAP ERP Human Capital Management solution. These capabilities enable customer sites to begin with the most common attributes and customize as needed. With personal data masked across all occurrences, developers and testers can use realistic test data and produce valid test results, and still comply with privacy legislation.

For instance, organizations can use the Optim software to mask names, addresses, national identification numbers, payment card and e-mail addresses, with a fictitious, but contextually accurate substitute data. Companies also need to adapt an enterprise focus for protecting privacy by deploying a consistent data masking methodology across applications, platforms and operating environments.

"The introduction of the Optim Data Privacy Solution in support of SAP applications enforces our commitment to expanding our Optim enterprise data management capabilities across a variety of applications, databases, operating systems and hardware platforms," said Al Smith, Director Optim Engineering for IBM. "In this regard, the input from our clients and partners is invaluable to ensure that our solutions provide functionality that continues to delivers business value."

The IBM Optim Early Access Program provides clients with “hands-on” product knowledge and experience to ensure that the Optim solutions support operating requirements. Clients receive extensive support during the Early Access process, interacting directly with IBM Optim’s development and product marketing teams, as well as the technical support staff. Customers, developers and partners can join for the Optim Data Privacy Solution for SAP early access program at: http://www.optimsolution.com/register.asp?ID=OptimEarlyAccess

IBM will showcase the Optim Data Privacy Solution for use with SAP solutions at the SAPPHIRE® 2008 Berlin conference being held at Messe Berlin, May 19 to 21.

For over 35 years, IBM and SAP have consistently collaborated to deliver superior return on investment to clients through thousands of successful solution implementations.

IBM Optim enterprise data management solutions focus on critical business issues, such as data growth management, data privacy compliance, test data management, e-discovery, application upgrades, migrations and retirements.

Optim aligns application data management with business objectives to help optimize performance, mitigate risk and control costs, while delivering capabilities that scale across enterprise applications, databases and platforms. Optim helps companies across industries worldwide capitalize on the business value of their enterprise applications and databases, with the power to manage enterprise application data through every stage of its lifecycle.

In addition to supporting SAP applications, IBM Optim Data Privacy Solutions are also available for use with Oracle® E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft® Enterprise, JD Edwards® EnterpriseOne, Siebel® and Amdocs® CRM, as well as all custom applications.

For more information about IBM Information Management software, visit http://www.software.ibm.com/data.