Question

I have a SQL Server DB containing real data (e.g. Customer names, ecc).
I’d like to transform it to a DB to show in presentations without showing the real names contained in there.

One solution could be to transform real names in anagrams (e.g.: a customer with name “abcdefg” could become “cfadgbe”) so that original name is not too easily recognizable.

If you did something similar in the past (possibly in VB.NET, but C# is ok too), I’d really appreciate not to write from scratch such a procedure.

(If you did something different with the same goal… then it will be OK too!)

Answer 1

I had the same problem. I solved it by creating random combinations of first names and last names that I collected in a separate table for this purpose. I also applied this technique to addresses (street, city) and generated random phone numbers. These fake addresses look like real addresses.

Dim firstNames = New List(Of String)
Dim lastNames = New List(Of String)

'TODO: Fill these lists with names

Dim random = New Random()
Dim numberOfAddresses = 100
For i As Integer = 0 To numberOfAddresses - 1
    Dim f = random.Next(firstNames.Count)
    Dim l = random.Next(lastNames.Count)
    Dim name = firstNames(f) & " " & lastNames(l)
    'TODO: update this name in the db
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