

Alation Data Catalog and Varonis Platform compete in the data management and security category. Based on the comparison, Alation appears to have an edge in versatility and customer satisfaction due to its cloud deployment capabilities and adaptive governance framework.
Features: Alation Data Catalog connects data with users, supports adaptive governance, and integrates well with cloud platforms, benefiting data stewards with intuitive search and metadata management. Varonis Platform excels in access governance, threat management, and sensitive data identification, integrating with repositories like SharePoint and Azure.
Room for Improvement: Alation Data Catalog lacks in data lineage and BI tool integration while needing enhanced search functionality. Varonis Platform requires smoother updates, improved cloud integration, and more economical licensing, as setup complexity and costs are concerns.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Alation Data Catalog supports versatile cloud deployments and offers proactive technical support, though complex issues may delay response times. Varonis is transitioning from on-premises to cloud, but customers note delays despite commendable support.
Pricing and ROI: Alation offers flexible pricing with significant costs, focusing on time savings and improved data flow. Varonis targets larger enterprises with expensive licensing, providing ROI through security enhancements and compliance, although its costs impact mid-sized company accessibility.
We have seen a return on investment, having saved close to 10.5% of our costs, with expected ROI growing yearly by about 17%.
Instead of going into Google or consulting a colleague, I can just go to Alation Data Catalog, search there, and understand everything by myself.
I definitely say that we have had time savings by using the DataVantage module and also time savings using the AD module when we are dealing with different incidents.
I have seen a return on investment mainly through time savings and improved security for sensitive data, making it a valuable investment.
Some of them have dragged on for six months, which is much longer than we would ever want some support issues to go on.
we have defined several SLAs that have resolved critical issues and incidents with excellent support.
we have been able to contact them, and they have been able to help us whenever we have had issues
The customer support is above par; it is what I think other organizations should look at to be comparable to.
They respond quickly to anything we need, which is not common among platforms.
I would rate the customer support for Varonis Platform at nine out of ten.
As data sizes grow, we can also scale categorizations, calibrations, and the types of data we ingest and catalog through this tool.
Alation Data Catalog's scalability is really good since everything is cloud and everything gets pulled into the system via Snowflake and DBT automatically.
Alation Data Catalog's scalability has met our needs as our data and user base has grown.
Varonis Platform is highly rated for scalability.
Varonis's scalability as eight to eight point five out of ten.
It has never gone down when we wanted to access it.
Alation Data Catalog has been stable for me, as I haven't seen much downtime.
From my experience, Alation Data Catalog is stable.
The platform needs improvement in integrating with BI tools, reducing manual efforts, and facilitating a smooth connection.
Additionally, bringing in AI capabilities to automate tracking and labeling can optimize how we handle data information levels.
Alation Data Catalog can be improved by enhancing their lineage capabilities to make it easier for us as users to search the lineage without having to use the Alation Data Catalog user interface.
Varonis requires more access permissions for its core functions compared to competitors, which can be a concern for companies about data safety.
A phishing email module would be great; I look forward to when that comes out.
Enhancing tighter integration with third-party solutions, such as SIEM or SOAR platforms, for smoother incident response workflows.
Collibra is a little bit expensive than Alation, but I presented the benefits of having that platform, so that little bit of money was not a big deal.
Discussions with the vendor partners provided a detailed breakdown of costs and how they can be reduced over time.
Varonis is known for its high licensing cost, which can include the cost of multiple servers required for its operations, called collectors.
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Varonis Platform has been good, with competitive costs.
It was the only data catalog tool where I could save and even create SQL queries.
Importantly, we establish a single source of truth, centralizing metadata and standardizing definitions, which minimizes confusion and helps with consistent data use across the organization.
My stakeholders can find relevant data assets quickly using a Google search without needing technical jargon, reducing the time spent searching for data.
Varonis is excellent for scanning unstructured data sources like file shares, OneDrive, SharePoint, Azure Blob Storage, and S3s.
Varonis Platform is agent-based and AI-driven for detection and response, identifying data based on its content and context.
We have created automatic scripts in case there is a chance that it is a ransomware malicious actor, and it will automatically disable the user, log them out, and disable the actual workstation.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Alation Data Catalog | 3.9% |
| Varonis Platform | 7.0% |
| Other | 89.1% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 4 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 15 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 3 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 13 |
Alation pioneered the data catalog market and is now leading its evolution into a platform for a broad range of data intelligence solutions including data search & discovery, data governance, lineage, stewardship, analytics, and digital transformation.
Thanks to its powerful Behavioral Analysis Engine, inbuilt collaboration capabilities, and open interfaces, Alation combines machine learning with human insight to successfully tackle even the most demanding challenges in data and metadata management. With Alation, analysts are empowered to search, query and collaborate on their data to achieve faster, more accurate insights.
Trusted by 400+ enterprises worldwide like Salesforce, Nasdaq, LinkedIn, Finnair, and Cisco.
Varonis Platform enhances data security and governance with advanced analytics, identifying unusual access patterns and sensitive areas. Its centralized interface manages permissions across systems, offering essential capabilities for alerting and reporting.
Varonis Platform provides continuous data protection and monitoring by identifying and alerting on unauthorized data access. It offers comprehensive insights into file access and user activities, supporting data classification and simplifying compliance with tracking and monitoring capabilities. Integration with storage systems enables users to manage permissions and access effectively. Room for improvement includes cloud integration and simplifying its interface and calculation engine for ease of use. Challenges include on-premises dependency, licensing costs, and a need for enhanced DLP capabilities.
What are the primary features of Varonis Platform?
What benefits and ROI should users expect?
In finance, Varonis aids in safeguarding sensitive financial data, while in healthcare, it secures patient records. Legal industries utilize it for protecting client information, and retail sectors manage sensitive customer data. These industries benefit from Varonis' ability to prevent unauthorized access and streamline compliance.
We monitor all Data Governance reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.