Have you ever been tasked with sharing sensitive data with a client, while ensuring the security and integrity of the original database? I recently came across a Reddit post that sparked an interesting discussion on the best approach to extract data from one database to another, while maintaining data confidentiality.
The scenario involves a vendor providing direct access to their SQL database via ODBC, which holds data for multiple clients. The goal is to extract only the relevant data for one client, without exposing others’ data, and provide them with access to a separate SQL instance.
The original poster suggested using Azure Data Factory to configure a pipeline, which seems like a viable solution. The pipeline would periodically extract the required data and upload it to a new Azure SQL instance, granting the client access to their specific data.
The good news is that the data doesn’t require any transformation, making the process relatively straightforward. The Azure Data Factory’s upsert functionality can be easily configured to handle the data transfer.
The key takeaway from this scenario is the importance of implementing a secure data sharing process. By creating a read-only database user for the client and using a separate SQL instance, you can ensure that sensitive data remains confidential.
If you’re facing a similar challenge, I’d love to hear about your approach. How do you handle sensitive data sharing while maintaining security and integrity?