Altova MapForce Server vs. IBM DataStage

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Altova MapForce Server
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Mapforce Server, from Altova in Beverly, is a data integration platform which the vendor states supports all major databases and data formats without extra-cost "connectors," and automates integration of any combination of XML, JSON, database, EDI, XBRL, flat file, Excel, and/or Web service data.N/A
IBM DataStage
Score 7.6 out of 10
N/A
IBM® DataStage® is a data integration tool that helps users to design, develop and run jobs that move and transform data. At its core, the DataStage tool supports extract, transform and load (ETL) and extract, load and transform (ELT) patterns. A basic version of the software is available for on-premises deployment, and the cloud-based DataStage for IBM Cloud Pak® for Data offers automated integration capabilities in a hybrid or multicloud environment.N/A
Pricing
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Features
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Data Source Connection
Comparison of Data Source Connection features of Product A and Product B
Altova MapForce Server
-
Ratings
IBM DataStage
9.5
Ratings
12% above category average
Connect to traditional data sources00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Connecto to Big Data and NoSQL00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Data Transformations
Comparison of Data Transformations features of Product A and Product B
Altova MapForce Server
-
Ratings
IBM DataStage
8.0
Ratings
2% below category average
Simple transformations00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Complex transformations00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Data Modeling
Comparison of Data Modeling features of Product A and Product B
Altova MapForce Server
-
Ratings
IBM DataStage
6.3
Ratings
23% below category average
Data model creation00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Metadata management00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Business rules and workflow00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Testing and debugging00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Data Governance
Comparison of Data Governance features of Product A and Product B
Altova MapForce Server
-
Ratings
IBM DataStage
6.0
Ratings
30% below category average
Integration with data quality tools00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Integration with MDM tools00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Small Businesses
HubSpot Data Hub
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Score 7.7 out of 10
Skyvia
Skyvia
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
dbt
dbt
Score 9.0 out of 10
IBM InfoSphere Information Server
IBM InfoSphere Information Server
Score 8.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
Astera Data Pipeline Builder (Centerprise)
Score 8.7 out of 10
IBM InfoSphere Information Server
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Score 8.0 out of 10
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User Ratings
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Likelihood to Recommend
8.0
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.6
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Altova MapForce ServerIBM DataStage
Likelihood to Recommend
MapForce Server is well suited for any scenario where data needs to be converted from one format to another, or where two or more disparate data sources need to be combined. It is less appropriate for scenarios where real-time data processing is required, or where the data sources are constantly changing. It is less appropriate for data visualization or data analysis tasks.
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Excellent Cloud data mapping tool and easy creating multiple project data analytics in real-time and the report distribution are excellent via this IBM product. Easy tool to provide data visualization and the integration is effective and helpful to migrating huge amounts of data across other platforms and different websites insights gathering.
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Pros
  • Connecting to and mapping data from a variety of sources, including databases, XML files, and text files.
  • Transforming data from one format to another, such as XML to JSON or CSV to XML.
  • Generating output in a variety of formats, including XML, JSON, CSV, and SQL.
  • Running mapping jobs on a schedule or on demand.
  • Providing comprehensive logging and email notification.
  • Supporting multiple users and roles with security and permissions.
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  • Very reliable in handling data extraction, data transformation and loading
  • Flexibility in connecting to different type of databases, relational or non-relational
  • Great features such as parallel processing, hash handling, etc.
  • You can also take advantage of its FTP functions, and scheduling features if you need to.
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Cons
  • Altove Mapforce Server is an enterprise software that performs data transformation and mapping on MacOS, Windows, Linux operating systems with seamless operation and flexible features that adjust to user needs, It offers high-level services such as bulk database inserts. data by reducing the processing load and achieving much faster performance.
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  • You must understand and know the algorithms, since the wrong use of them generates more time in processing.
  • Metadata. You need to develop with connectors, and taking all the Metadata from the menu, all the data that you complete manually, you can't track it.
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Usability
No answers on this topic
Because it is a flexible tool that can manage many flows and create a strong solution with a interesting use of variables. Easy to scale up as you can copy jobs arleady build and modify them. SQL queries allow to be fast in development and have the pushdown feature, but you loose a little of user friendly look. Metadata management is not strong as a visual feature, but can be determine by job codes.
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Performance
No answers on this topic
It could load thousands of records in seconds. But in the Parallel version, you need to understand how to particionate the data. If you use the algorithms erroneously, or the functionalities that it gives for the parsing of data, the performance can fall drastically, even with few records. It is necessary to have people with experience to be able to determine which algorithm to use and understand why.
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Support Rating
No answers on this topic
IBM offers different levels of support but in my experience being and IBM shop helps to get direct support from more knowledgeable technicians from IBM. Not sure on the cost of having this kind of support, but I know there's also general support and community blogs and websites on the Internet make it easy to troubleshoot issues whenever there's need for that.
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Alternatives Considered
Altova Mapforce Server is a powerful tool that helps to securely and quickly convert data from one format to another with support for common file formats, processes run seamlessly with continuous improvements, flexible configuration and visually pleasing interface, it is a software data mapping tool that facilitates format classification and data automation. It works great with great features and benefits.
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No, it wasn’t my decision to use such an ETL product. I’m just the administrator at this point. I’ve heard there are other products there that are even on cloud support. That is much easier to use, more agile, and user-friendly. That doesn’t have that barrier from user to administrator to the developer standpoint.
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Return on Investment
  • Altove Mapforce Server is an ETL and data mapping tool that performs mapping to all popular data formats and transformation between any combination of XML, JSON, Excel, and Web service data. It positively impacts my organization by helping us develop delivery notifications internally by converting data from one format to another.
  • A perfect platform for developers and IT professionals to map data from one format to another with security and speed.
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  • Not directly related to ROI or cost figures. Only comment here is that IBM tools tend to be more costly than average ETL tools, but it depends on if the company is an IBM shop.
  • One positive aspect is the company has had not a need to switch ETL tool for years.
  • Upgrading to newer versions of the tool brings flexibility in the tool and up-to-date features in relation to other applications.
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ScreenShots