A glossary of basic BDX terms:
Add-on - Packages that are required to work with supported databases or to find specific sensitive data, and their content consists of support for database analyzers and discoverers (used by BizDataX Portal), and for database handlers (used by BizDataX Designer).
Analyzer - The type of add-on that enables working with supported databases. Used in Data sources.
BizDataX - End-to-end data masking and data anonymization solution composed of two key components: BizDataX Portal and BizDataX Designer.
Block - Blocks are used as decision-making statements of the Masking definition. Those decisions are made by using the "Run condition" and order of Blocks in the Masking definition. Each masking definition can have one or more Blocks, but at least one is required. Blocks consist of two parts:
Clean-up action - Actions executed after the data masking is done.
Connection string - String through which the Environment gets filled with data (connection to the database).
Data masking - A method of creating a structurally similar but inauthentic version of an organization's data that can be used for purposes such as software testing and user training.
Data masking plan – Data masking plan is a container for one specific data masking process. It contains all information needed for creating a package. The ending result is a published Plan, i.e. created Package that can then be executed.
Data source - Set of metadata distributed by an individual environment. Container for one or multiple environments of a specific database.
Design assignments for Block - Design assignments for Block is an action of linking generated data (Generator output, constant or custom) with the output of chosen Masking definition. Chosen masking value (masked data) then can be used in the masking process through Masking tasks.
Design assignments for Table job - Design assignments for a Table job is an action of linking masked data (Masking task output, constant or custom) with Columns of the Data source. Chosen masking value (masked data) will replace the original values.
Design Plan - Designing a Masking plan represents a process of configuring specific data masking defined inside one Masking plan. The process is defined through Steps with Jobs that define masking activities. The goal of this process is to publish a Masking Plan, which creates a Package that can then be executed.
Discoverer - Type of add-on that is used to find specific values or types of values within the chosen data source, environment, schema and/or table and identify them as sensitive data. Used in Discovery.
Discovery Rule - User-defined set of parameters that the discovery process follows to find specific types of data in specific sources (for example, finding all first names or emails in a specific table).
Engine - The main starter of executing iterators in a certain order.
Enum - Allows the user to select one value from the list of allowed values.
EnumList - Allows the user to select zero or more values from the list of allowed values.
Environment - Container of data (schemas, tables and columns) imported via a connection string. Defined by Data source.
Fundamental data - For the specification to be released, it is necessary to assign fundamental data – define what to mask.
Generator - Generators are tools for creating data that will be used in the masking process. Generators are:
Generated data is then assigned to outputs of the Masking definition and can be used in the masking process through Masking tasks. Generators are an optional part of Blocks.
Handler – Contains information about the logic of reading and writing data into the database. Contains two parts: readers (for reading data from the database) and writers (for writing data into the database).
Iterator –Interface that contains handler (see "handler") and registered masking processes (functions for modifying items).
Job - Jobs represent masking activities inside Step. They are performed in a specific predefined order. Activities include table jobs and script jobs. Each step can have one or more jobs, but at least one is required.
Masking algorithm – An algorithm that defines how to mask the specification columns.
Masking definition - Masking definition is used for the process of generating or defining masked data. It consists of Blocks that contain Generators and are executed under specific conditions. Masking definitions can be used in:
Masking task - Masking tasks are used for fetching data that was generated through Masking definitions (or directly from the Add-on generator). Masking tasks are an optional part of the table job.
NuGet - Packages required to work with supported databases. See 'Add-on'.
Package – A collection of all engines and steps of one data masking process.
Package parameter - Data anonymization is not an immutable process and often calls for adjustments and modifications. Most of these become known during the creation of the anonymization specification and package and can be controlled using package parameters.
Preparation action - Actions executed before the data masking is done.
Persistent repeaters - Repeaters can be persisted, which means that repeater values, used in one masking, are saved and used in another masking. This can be invaluable when masking related databases, or when masking the same database in regular intervals as the resulting masked database will be consistent.
Project - Logical container that helps users organize all their subsetting data, data masking and data anonymization activities for a selected set of data.
Repeater – Values that, once created and saved in the database, can be used again so that the same original value ('RepeaterKey') is always replaced with the same masked value ('RepeatingValue').
Restartability - A feature of the BizDataX tool that enables re-starting the package execution from the point where the previous execution attempt was interrupted and stopped for some reason.
Restartability mode - A way in which restartability occurs: Off (Do not use restartability), Clean (Use restartability), ForceClean (Use restartability and delete any information from last run) or Continue (Continue from previous execution).
Specification - The definition of how sensitive data will be masked.
Specification column - Defines scope (schema, table and column), fundamental data and masking algorithm for that scope in the masking process.
Specification definition - Container for all properties and parameters of how sensitive data will be masked.
Specification table - Defines scope (schema and table) and masking strategy in the masking process.
Step - Masking can be done in several stages in a predefined order. Those ordered stages are called Steps. They contain Jobs that define masking activities. The masking process (Masking Plan) can consist of one or more Steps, but at least one is required.
Subset definition - Set of tables that will be copied from the source database to the target database.
Subsetting – The action of separating a part of the database to make it easier to work with it.
Table job - Table job is one of the Job types. It represents the activity of masking data in a specific table. It defines replacement data for original values in the database. The table job consists of two parts: