IBM to Offer Data Quality, Redaction Tools

Software for monitoring data quality and for redacting sensitive information close to being rolled out.

IBM has announced a big push into data governance this week, with two product announcements.

The first, InfoSphere Business Information Monitor, based on technology IBM acquired with its purchase of Guardium, is in "technical preview"; some IBM customers are using it in a pre-beta mode. The software is intended to monitor data quality. "If an executive in a bank is looking at a view of branch profitability, he might not realize that a feed from one region didn't get processed," says Michael Curry, director of strategy for information management. "Often no one notices data quality problems." Using the software, subject matter experts define rules for databases and reports to detect potential problems. The rules-based approach could be applied toward risk management, compliance, Basel II, Sarbanes-Oxley or fraud detection, Curry says.

The second, Optim Data Redaction, will be generally available in March. It's designed to protect sensitive data in in documents such as Social Security numbers or credit scores. For instance, for loan documents, the software could be set up to allow loan officers to see the borrower's Social Security number, but not clerks.

IBM also says it will focus 250 staff on an Information Governance Center of Excellence.