Cleanup vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Broadcom and IBM are both solutions in the Database Security category. Broadcom is ranked #15, while IBM is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.6. Broadcom holds a 1.6% mindshare in DS, compared to IBM’s 26.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Broadcom users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 86% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Cleanup

Read 1 Cleanup review

649 Views
448 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

Read 81 IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reviews

10,977 Views
9,550 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Cleanup

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cleanup and IBM Security Guardium Data Protection based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM, Imperva, Oracle and others in Database Security.

To learn more, read our detailed Database Security Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Database Security

October 2026

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Helped 920,769 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cleanup

Ranking in Database Security

15th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Mainframe Security (11th)

IBM Security Guardium Data ...

Ranking in Database Security

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Database Security category, the mindshare of Cleanup is 1.6%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is 26.5%, down from 27.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection	26.5%
Cleanup	1.6%
Other	71.9%

Database Security

Featured Reviews

it_user350628

Information Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

It looks forward in the database, so if it’s not showing any activity, you can get rid of that profile. But, if I give someone access to it, I can’t control the scope of what they can see.

It presents problems. The problem is, if I give someone access to it, I can’t control the scope of what they can see. They can see everything. I want to make the information available and more integrated with other security components, and I want it to be more reliable. It also needs acknowledgement that clean-up data can come from temporary cloned environments that somehow need to be incorporated into enterprise view of usage.

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Anumula Hitesh

Senior Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack

Centralized monitoring has improved audit readiness and streamlines investigations of data access

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is a strong platform, but there are a few areas where I think it could be improved. One area is alert tuning and prioritization. Large environments can generate a significant number of alerts, and while the platform provides good visibility, reducing noise and automatically highlighting the highest-risk events would help security teams work more efficiently. Another area is ease of administration. As environments become more complex with cloud, hybrid, and on-premises databases, managing policies and configurations can require significant effort. Simplifying some of those workflows could reduce the operational overhead for administration. I would also like to see deeper automation and more advanced analytic capabilities. The security industry as a whole is moving toward faster threat detection and automated response, and having more built-in intelligence to identify unusual behavior with less manual tuning would be valuable. A couple of additional areas come to mind regarding needed improvements for IBM Security Guardium Data Protection. Integration is one of them. IBM Security Guardium Data Protection integrates with a variety of security tools, but as organizations adopt more cloud-native platforms and multicloud environments, smoother integration and simpler deployment processes would be beneficial. Many security teams are managing dozens of tools today, so reducing integration complexity can save a lot of operational effort. From a usability perspective, some administration and reporting tasks could be more intuitive, especially for new users. The platform is feature-rich, which is a strength, but it can also create a learning curve. Regarding support, my experience has generally been positive, but complex issues can sometimes require coordination across multiple teams before they are fully resolved. One feature I appreciate about IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is the detailed audit trail that IBM Security Guardium Data Protection maintains. When investigating an issue, having a historical record of database activity can save a lot of time and provide the context needed to understand what happened. That is especially useful for compliance and forensic investigations. As for a wish-list item, I would like to see even more intelligent alert correlation and risk prioritization. A challenge across the security industry is that teams often deal with a large number of alerts from different tools, and determining which ones require immediate attention can still be time-consuming. Although IBM Security Guardium Data Protection already provides strong monitoring capabilities, more automated context and prioritization could help security teams focus on the highest-risk events faster.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Technical support is good, and they're great once they agree there’s a problem."

"The centralization of data is probably the most valuable feature because we span multiple database technologies."

"IBM Guardium Data Protection has better integration options than most of the leading competitors on the market, and the price is always better."

"We are using it to do a lot of data discovery from a data classification for structured data."

"The solution is easy to use."

"The most valuable feature I have found is the performance of client monitoring. The other competitors are unable to do this."

"It has automated a bunch of manual tasks, giving us insights into activities that we would not otherwise be able to capture."

"One of the greatest benefits for using Guardium is our ability to monitor sensitive data."

"It provides a comprehensive security for databases, both on-prem and on the cloud. Among the advanced features we use automatic backups, DR."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pros

Cons

"Use it as an indication of data, not as gospel. Don’t take action based solely on it."

"The maintenance and support aspects of the product need improvement."

"They could enable the out-of-the-box feature to track application user activity."

"We also have a problem with this solution because the IBM aggregator isn't working very well."

"I'd like to them make sure that the data sources can be more easily managed, because some of them are tied to multiple things. You try to remove one and you have to go to all the different spots to remove the associations before you can get rid of it."

"Initially it did not have support external applications like, say, Tableau, ServiceNow, Remedy, and the like. They have started growing into it, but I would like to have more and more integration with outside applications."

"Flexibility could be improved."

"I am struggling getting through to social."

"The blocking and dynamic data masking features need improvement."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The biggest challenge is the cost associated with the product, and the cost of maintaining. Everything is not translated directly to the benefits we see. There are benefits, yes, but if I were writing the check, would I buy Guardium? No."

"One of the deployments that I know of had three databases, and the yearly fees are approximately $50,000 USD."

"The price of Guardium is higher than the main competitor, Imperva. In addition, it's complex as the calculation of the licensing is done by Processor Value Unit (PVU). However, before purchasing a DAP solution, it is important to analyze specific points to evaluate the cost-benefit of each tool. For example: Does the environment to be monitored have mainframes? If so, it's a point for Guardium. If not, a point for Imperva. Note: IBM is looking into a new licensing policy and reducing the price of Guardium."

"Its cost is good. With the new metric of licensing, such as PDO not being available now, customers are expecting a good price for the solution."

"IBM Guardium Data Protection charges you based on the number of users, e.g. based on the number of licenses, and it's either on a per-license or a per-data basis."

"The product's pricing is reasonable and affordable. It is in the moderate range."

"It is a very costly product."

"Guardium has not saved us time or money."

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

19%

Outsourcing Company

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	17
Large Enterprise	44

Questions from the Community

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How does IBM Guardium Data Protection compare with Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is a solution for database security from IBM that gives complete visibility, control, and analysis to secure sensitive data and comply with regulations. IBM S...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Guardium Data Protection?

I don't remember the exact prices, but Guardium is an expensive tool because it is targeted towards corporate enterprises.

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What needs improvement with IBM Security Guardium Data Protection?

See all answers

Comparisons

ACF2 vs Cleanup

Compared 28% of the time

IBM Security zSecure vs Cleanup

Compared 19% of the time

Imperva Data Security Fabric vs Cleanup

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Database Vault vs Cleanup

Compared 8% of the time

More Cleanup Competitors

Imperva Data Security Fabric vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 54% of the time

Oracle Audit Vault vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 7% of the time

DataSunrise Database Security vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 5% of the time

Oracle Database Vault vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 3% of the time

MyDiamo vs IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

Compared 2% of the time

More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Mainframe Security

October 2026

Download Cleanup product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection

October 2026

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection report

Download IBM Security Guardium Data Protection product report

Also Known As

CA Cleanup

InfoSphere Guardium, Guardium, IBM Guardium

Overview

Cleanup is a powerful tool designed to optimize digital spaces by removing unnecessary clutter, improving overall performance, and enhancing workflows for businesses. Its unique capabilities assist users in maintaining a streamlined digital environment.

Cleanup focuses on delivering efficiency and organization. This tool offers expansive technology suitable for businesses seeking to maximize digital efficiency. Cleanup enhances daily operations with integrated features that cater to the critical aspects of digital management. Its comprehensive approach makes it integral for professionals looking to simplify processes and achieve greater efficiency in digital space management.

What are the standout features of Cleanup?

Automated File Organization: Streamlines digital file management through intelligent sorting.
Performance Optimization: Boosts system efficiency with smart resource allocation.
Data Security: Enhances protection with advanced encryption and secure access controls.
Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly connects with other business applications for better workflow.
User Customization: Offers tailored settings to meet user-specific requirements.

What benefits and ROI can be expected when using Cleanup?

Increased Efficiency: Saves time by automating routine tasks and processes.
Cost Reduction: Decreases operational costs through optimized resource allocation.
Enhanced Security: Protects sensitive business data effectively.
Scalability: Easily adapts to business growth and changing needs.
Improved Productivity: Boosts employee productivity by simplifying workflows.

Cleanup is widely implemented across industries such as finance, healthcare, and media where precise digital management is crucial for maintaining high operational standards. It addresses specific sector requirements such as regulatory compliance in healthcare or real-time data handling in media, ensuring targeted solutions.

Broadcom

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection offers real-time data activity monitoring and advanced user behavior analytics to secure sensitive enterprise data and streamline compliance with regulations like PCI, SOX, HIPAA, and CCPA.

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection effectively discovers and classifies sensitive data across enterprises, providing comprehensive auditing and database protection. It enhances security through real-time access control, masking, and firewall capabilities, ensuring compatibility with diverse databases. It includes customizable reports and efficient alert systems, helping organizations manage privileged user access and detect unauthorized activities efficiently. While improvements in reporting, analytics, and cloud service support could enhance its performance, its GUI flexibility and vulnerability assessments make it a preferred choice for data security. Some users query the technical support and seek simpler upgrade processes and improved performance. The deployment is appreciated for its ease, yet integration capabilities are suggested to be strengthened for better usability.

What key features does IBM Security Guardium Data Protection offer?

Data Activity Monitoring: Offers real-time surveillance of database activities.
Advanced Auditing: Facilitates detailed audits to track data access.
Compliance Support: Provides pre-built templates for various regulations.
Access Control: Enforces stringent access controls and user management.
Masking and Firewall: Includes data masking and advanced firewall capabilities.
Customizable Reporting: Offers flexible reporting options to meet diverse needs.
Integration Options: Ensures seamless compatibility with different databases.

What benefits should users assess in reviews?

Comprehensive Security: Protects sensitive data through monitoring and encryption.
Regulatory Compliance: Simplifies compliance workflows across industries.
Real-Time Monitoring: Enhances immediate risk management through live tracking.
Flexible Performance: Provides varied integration options to suit different environments.
Efficient Alerts: Deploys an effective alert system to promptly identify threats.

In industries like finance, IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is instrumental in monitoring privileged database access and ensuring compliance with stringent regulations such as PCI and GDPR. Organizations utilize its vulnerability assessments and audit trails to secure sensitive data against unauthorized access, manage risks, and maintain data integrity continuously.

IBM

Sample Customers

Standard Bank of South Africa

Information Not Available

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM, Imperva, Oracle and others in Database Security. Updated: October 2026.

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