Working With Data Elements

An overview of the data elements used to protect the data.

Data elements consist of a set of data protection properties to protect sensitive data. This set consists of different token types, encryption algorithms, and encryption options. The most important of these properties are the methods that you use to protect sensitive data.

For more information about the protection methods, refer to Protection Methods Reference Guide from the Legacy Documents section.

You can create data elements for the following data types:

  • Structured Data: Structured Data provides the properties that support column-level database protection, and capabilities to integrate policies into applications, with an API. The Structured Data can also be used by the COP Ruleset to transform the data.

  • Unstructured Data: Unstructured Data provides the properties supporting file protection. The file protection capabilities enable the protection of sensitive data as it traverses the enterprise or as it rests within files.

    Important: 10.0.0 Protectors do not support policies with Unstructured data elements.

The following figure shows the New Data Element screen.

New Data Element Screen

The following table provides the description for each data element available on the of the ESA Web UI.

CalloutUI ElementDescription
1TypeType of data element you require to create, structured or unstructured.
2NameUnique name identifying the data element.
3DescriptionText describing the data element.
4MethodTokenization, encryption, masking, and monitoring methods.
5Data TypeIf you have selected the Tokenization method, then you need to specify the data type. For example, Numeric, Alpha-Numeric, UnicodeGen2, and so on.
6TokenizerIf you have selected the Tokenization method, you need to select the Tokenizer. For example, SLT_1_6, SLT_2_6, SLT_1_3 and SLT_2_3.
7Encryption Options/Tokenize OptionsBased on the method selected, the tokenization or the encryption options change.

Example - Creating Token Data Elements

You create token data elements for all protectors, except for the File Protector.

Example - Creating a FPE Data Element

Create a FPE data element.

Example - Creating Data Elements for Unstructured Data

You create an unstructured type of data elements for File Protector policies.