Overview for installing the Optim data privacy providers

You can install the Optim™ data privacy providers as a stand-alone solution to mask data in products and applications that do not include functionality to protect sensitive information. The providers available for download are the same as the ones included in a number of Optim solutions, such as the Optim Test Data Management Solution with Data Masking option.

When you download the Optim data privacy provider library, the library includes folders to install the Optim providers in the following environments: Microsoft Windows, Linux®, and UNIX.

Note: The library also includes folders to install the Optim data privacy UDFs in various environments, but the UDFs are installed separately, as described in Overview for installing and configuring the Optim data privacy user-defined functions.

The steps that are required to install or configure the providers vary by environment in some cases, so separate instructions are provided, when needed, as illustrated in the following example:

The instructions for installing the providers in Windows, UNIX, and Linux are similar, so joint installation instructions are provided. But the instructions for configuring the providers differ, so two sets of instructions are provided: one for Windows, and the other for UNIX and Linux. For more information about this subject, see the Roadmap for installing the Optim data privacy providers.

Important: You must have an Optim license that includes data privacy to use the data privacy providers. If you need a license, contact your IBM representative for information about how to obtain a license key that includes data privacy. Your license key identifies the Optim features you are entitled to use, such as the data privacy providers. For more information, see Licensing requirements for the Optim data privacy components.

Features included with the data privacy providers

When the Optim data privacy providers are downloaded, the following items are included in the download:

  • A data privacy API that includes binary libraries, header code files, and sample API use files for each supported platform (operating system and memory model).
  • Sample API uses that include C++ sample projects in Microsoft Visual Studio solution format (.sln).
  • Replacement Data that is used to mask the contents of specific data fields, such as names, addresses, credit card numbers, and email addresses in comma-separated value (.csv) format.
  • Documentation, including a developer's guide and other documentation, and a script to create symbolic links to the ODPP libraries used by the Optim data privacy providers.