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Wed, June 1, 2011

Database Activity Monitoring: Software vs. Appliance

By Adrian Lane

For Database Activity Monitoring, the deployment model directly effects performance, management, cost, and how well the technology serves your requirements. Appliances, software, and virtual appliances are the three basic deployment models for DAM. While many security platforms offer these same deployment models, what you have learned with firewalls or intrusion detection systems does not apply here – DAM is unique in the way it collects, processes, and ultimately manages information. This white paper provides an in-depth analysis of the tradeoffs between appliance, software, and virtual appliance implementations of Database Activity Monitoring. Each model includes particular advantages that make it a perfect fit for some environments, and completely unsuitable for others. Worse, the problems are not always clear until deployed into a production environment. The differences become more pronounced when monitoring virtual servers and cloud services, further clouding complicating direct comparisons. This paper is designed to help you make an informed decision on which model is right for your organization based upon operational, security, and compliance requirements.

DAM Software vs. Appliance Tradeoffs paper (PDF)

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Appliance_vs_Software-DAM_Tradeoffs.pdf [177KB]

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