Teradata Vantage

Basic Information

• Model: Teradata Vantage
• Version: Teradata Vantage is a comprehensive analytics platform with various components. Recent versions include Analytics Database 17.20 and Database Engine 20. Database Engine 20 was published in June 2025.
• Release Date: Teradata Vantage was first announced and made available to customers in October 2018.
• Minimum Requirements: Requirements vary significantly based on deployment. For Vantage Express, a 64-bit processor with Virtualization Technology (VT) Extensions, a minimum of 40 GB free space, and sufficient RAM are necessary. Enterprise deployments demand robust infrastructure, including specific network configurations and substantial storage for components like the SQL Engine, Data Stream Controller (DSC), and Viewpoint.
• Supported Operating Systems: Core components like Analytics Database 17.20 support SLES 12 SP3, while Database Engine 20 supports SLES 15. Client operating systems for authentication, such as Kerberos, include Windows, macOS, and Linux (excluding SUSE Linux-390 mainframe clients).
• Latest Stable Version: Database Engine 20, published in June 2025, represents a very recent version of the core database engine.
• End of Support Date: End of support dates vary by specific component versions and are subject to Teradata's lifecycle policies. For example, some older certification exams have end dates in 2024. Users should consult official Teradata resources for precise end-of-support information for their specific deployments.
• End of Life Date: Not explicitly specified for the entire platform; typically managed through version upgrades and support policies.
• Auto-Update Expiration Date: Not specified; in as-a-service deployments, Teradata manages updates.
• License Type: Teradata Vantage offers various license tiers, including Base, Advanced, Enterprise, and a Developer Tier. Cloud deployments often feature consumption-based pricing, where customers pay for resources used during queries, loads, and storage.
• Deployment Model: Teradata Vantage supports multiple deployment models, including public cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), private cloud (VMware), hybrid cloud, and on-premises infrastructure.

Technical Requirements

• RAM: For a typical enterprise deployment on VMware, the SQL Engine requires 30 GB or more, while components like DSC, Server Management (CMIC), Viewpoint, and Query Service each require 16 GB to 32 GB.
• Processor: A 64-bit processor with Virtualization Technology (VT) Extensions is a baseline for virtualized deployments. For VMware, Hyper-threading (HT) must be enabled.
• Storage: Minimum storage for Vantage Express is 40 GB. For enterprise VMware deployments, the Analytics Database (TPA) requires 200 GB or more, DSC requires 500 GB, Server Management (CMIC) 26 GB, and Viewpoint and Query Service 456 GB. High-performance SSDs are strongly recommended for external storage to prevent performance bottlenecks.
• Ports: Network requirements include two 10 Gb networks for BYNET redundancy with Jumbo Frames, and two 1 Gb or faster separate (isolated) physical networks for Server Management (CMIC connectivity).
• Operating System: The underlying operating system for the core database components is typically SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), with SLES 15 supported for Database Engine 20 and SLES 12 SP3 for Analytics Database 17.20.

Analysis of Technical Requirements

Teradata Vantage is engineered for large-scale, high-performance data analytics, necessitating a robust and scalable infrastructure. The technical requirements reflect its capacity to handle massive data volumes and complex analytical workloads. The platform leverages massively parallel processing (MPP) and benefits significantly from high-throughput storage and network configurations. While minimum specifications exist for smaller deployments like Vantage Express, enterprise-grade implementations demand substantial resources to ensure optimal performance and scalability across its integrated analytic engines.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Database Engine 20, published in June 2025.
• OS Support: Core database components support SLES 15 and SLES 12 SP3. Client operating systems for authentication include Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• End of Support Date: Varies by specific component and version. Users should consult official Teradata documentation for detailed lifecycle information.
• Localization: Supports standard enterprise localization, with specific details varying by component and region.
• Available Drivers: Teradata Vantage supports industry-standard connectivity through various drivers, including the .NET Data Provider for Teradata. It also integrates with platforms like Adobe Experience Platform using specific connection strings.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

Teradata Vantage offers extensive compatibility across leading public cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and private cloud environments (VMware), alongside on-premises deployments. This multi-cloud and hybrid approach provides flexibility for diverse enterprise architectures. The platform ensures broad operating system support for its server-side components and client tools, facilitating integration into existing IT ecosystems. Teradata provides comprehensive support services, including managed cloud offerings, and maintains a certification program for professionals. While specific end-of-life dates for all versions require direct consultation with Teradata, the overall ecosystem demonstrates strong support and broad compatibility.

Security Status

• Security Features: Teradata Vantage incorporates encrypted logon strings, optional data encryption for messages in transit, and automatic integrity checking. It supports optional encryption for backups (BAR and DSA) and SSL/TLS protection for LDAP authentication. The platform enforces access restrictions, multi-factor authentication (MFA), privileged access management, and monitors all privileged activity. Network security includes ingress and egress filtering control lists and robust application firewalls.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Teradata performs regular scans of its environment and code to identify and remediate vulnerabilities, indicating a proactive security posture. No specific known vulnerabilities are publicly highlighted in the provided information.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable for a software platform; compliance with industry standards is the relevant measure.
• Certifications: Teradata Vantage is FIPS 140-2 compliant for TDGSS and Gateway on SLES 12.3 platforms. It undergoes periodic audits for compliance with major standards such as HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and SOC 1 and 2.
• Encryption Support: The platform offers comprehensive encryption for data at rest and in transit. Symmetric encryption is supported for VantageCloud Enterprise. For VantageCloud Lake on AWS, customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) are available for Elastic Block Storage, Object Storage, Standard Backups, and Snapshot Backups. Column-level encryption is also available through integrations with partners like Thales CipherTrust and Protegrity.
• Authentication Methods: Vantage supports internal authentication and various external authentication methods, including Single Sign-On (SSO), Directory Sign-on (LDAP), and Sign-on As. It is LDAP-ready and supports Kerberos, NTLM, SPNEGO, and TDNEGO for external authentication. Multi-factor authentication is a key component of access control.
• General Recommendations: Teradata recommends leveraging its built-in security features, implementing strong password policies, continuous monitoring, and integrating with third-party security solutions for enhanced data protection.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

Teradata Vantage exhibits a robust and multi-layered security framework designed for enterprise-grade data protection and compliance. Its features span encryption for data at rest and in transit, stringent access controls including MFA and privileged access management, and comprehensive auditing capabilities. The platform's adherence to industry certifications like HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and SOC 1 and 2, coupled with regular vulnerability scanning, underscores its commitment to maintaining a secure environment. Integrations with leading data security partners further enhance its defensive capabilities, providing a high overall security rating suitable for sensitive and critical data workloads.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: In workload comparisons, Teradata VantageCloud Lake demonstrates superior performance. It handled over 8 times more queries than Databricks at one-twelfth the cost per query in a real-world analytics comparison. Against Snowflake, VantageCloud Lake executed 197,366 queries compared to Snowflake's 3,144 queries over a two-hour period, with a cost of $0.0009 per query versus $0.0686 for Snowflake.
• Real-World Performance Metrics: The platform efficiently processes large volumes of data with a scalable architecture, delivering fast processing and multi-parallel capabilities. It excels in handling complex analytical queries, operational reporting, and tactical queries.
• Power Consumption: Power consumption is dependent on the underlying infrastructure and deployment model. For cloud deployments, consumption-based pricing models align costs directly with resource usage, promoting efficiency. For on-premises systems, it relates to the efficiency of the IntelliFlex hardware.
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly measured for the software itself; the carbon footprint is a function of the energy efficiency of the deployed infrastructure and the cloud provider's sustainability initiatives.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Teradata Vantage competes with platforms such as SQL Server, MongoDB Atlas, Oracle Database, Amazon Redshift, SAP HANA Cloud, Google BigQuery, Snowflake AI Data Cloud, IBM Db2, and Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. Benchmarks indicate a strong competitive edge in query performance and cost efficiency against some major cloud data platforms.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

Teradata Vantage is a high-performance analytics platform optimized for demanding data workloads. Its architecture, designed for massively parallel processing and scalability, enables efficient handling of vast data volumes and complex analytical queries. Publicly available benchmarks highlight its ability to outperform competitors like Databricks and Snowflake in terms of query execution volume and cost efficiency in specific real-world scenarios. This strong performance profile makes it well-suited for enterprises requiring rapid insights from large and intricate datasets, whether deployed on-premises or in multi-cloud environments.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews consistently highlight Teradata Vantage's strengths in processing large data volumes efficiently, its scalable architecture, and seamless integration with various visualization and development tools. Users appreciate the specialized technical support and the platform's ability to perform complex analyses directly within the data warehouse, eliminating the need for data movement. Compatibility with languages like SQL, Python, and R, along with its capability to consolidate multiple data sources, are frequently cited benefits, leading to improved strategic and operational decision-making. The power, speed, and multi-parallel processing capabilities for large data analysis are also highly praised, contributing to significant time savings and enhanced team productivity. Users also commend its strong data querying, superior data compression, and robust data governance features, which are crucial for enterprise-level compliance and complex data analysis.

Common weaknesses mentioned include the licensing model, which some users suggest could offer greater flexibility for public environments with budgetary constraints. Additionally, some feedback indicates that Teradata Vantage may present a steeper learning curve compared to certain alternatives, despite its powerful features.

Recommended use cases for Teradata Vantage include resolving critical issues related to data fragmentation, slow information processing, and lack of traceability in regulatory reports. It is highly recommended for consolidating multiple data sources into a single institutional data warehouse, and for scenarios demanding faster processing, multi-parallel processing, enhanced security, and large-scale data operations such as invoice processing or fraud detection in banking.

Summary

Teradata Vantage stands as a powerful and comprehensive enterprise analytics platform, designed to deliver pervasive data intelligence across diverse deployment models. Its core strengths lie in its highly scalable architecture, enabling efficient processing of massive data volumes and complex analytical workloads. The platform consistently demonstrates strong performance in benchmarks, often outperforming competitors in query execution speed and cost efficiency. Security is a paramount feature, with robust encryption, authentication methods, compliance certifications, and proactive vulnerability management. Compatibility across major cloud providers and on-premises environments, coupled with extensive support options and standard drivers, ensures broad integration capabilities.

While user feedback praises its analytical power, scalability, and integration prowess, some users note a potential learning curve and desire more flexible licensing options for certain environments. Teradata Vantage is ideally suited for organizations requiring a mission-critical, high-performance solution for complex mixed-workloads, real-time analytics, and the consolidation of disparate data sources into a unified, secure data warehouse. It excels in use cases demanding deep insights, regulatory compliance, and the ability to drive strategic and operational decision-making from enterprise-scale data.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.