9 Additional Features to Consider When Selecting the Perfect Business Database

By | Karen Anthony

What is the best database for my business? This is a significant question that most business owners ask themselves when choosing the best database platforms for their company. There are several types of databases coming with different models. The database model is its schema on which the platform is built and designed. To get the right database for your business, you need to know what they are with their salient features to get the desired results.

Evaluate the database systems that will meet your business needs

Though you are not an expert in database management systems, it does not hurt at all to find out about them. With the help of a skilled and experienced DBA, you can get an idea about the common databases available in the market today. For instance, if you deal with big data daily, Hadoop is an excellent database platform. Again, Oracle caters to the needs of big and small businesses alike. Here, you get the benefits of advanced database features in several Oracle Editions that meet your budget with success.

There are different database models, and each one of them offers you a host of pros and cons. To choose the ideal database for your business needs, you must ascertain what your company goals are. This helps you in a big way to know what you should be looking for in a proper database. Besides the above, there are some extra factors that you must consider when you are looking for the best database system for your business. They have been listed below-

1. The database should be highly available – Availability is an essential factor for you to consider when searching for the perfect business database. Useful databases are high in availability; however, they are expensive. For instance, when you add nodes to the clustering, you need to incur huge software and hardware costs. It would help if you understood the topology of the highly available architecture with all associated expenses.

2. Disaster recovery – When you are looking for the right database, you need to review what your disaster recovery plans are careful. Your business has defined service level agreements that it needs to fulfill and meet. Make sure that the database you should meet them fast enough. If your database takes a long time to restore and take data backups, it will affect your business. In case, you do not need to back up data, and you should recreate and restore your files before a disaster takes place. So, a sound database system needs to have the advantages of high availability and disaster recovery to give you a competitive edge in the market.

3. Database performance – Most businesses share a common complaint. They say their databases are not performing up to the market. To optimize performance from your database, you need to read and write that it carries out accurately. The ratio of both should be aligned with one another. Again, if you are promised a fast database, there might be an area you will need to compromise on. For instance, the database might be fast, but it has a weak structure.

4. Modern and contemporary technologies – There are advanced technologies that are available in the market today. They promise you high-performing platforms. When you choose your business database, ensure it gives you the chance to connect with these modern technological robust platforms. To get more accurate insights and consultation on these technologies and database systems, consult the friendly professionals at RemoteDBA.

5. The database should be able to extract data, transform and load – Keeping the above in mind, the system will always witness data coming in and out of the database. It helps if you have an excellent ETL (extract, transform, and load) service, provider. This will help you get the best out of your database system.

6. Options for the infrastructure – The database system often needs you to offer the necessary infrastructure for business operations. This is often a part of the extensive data platforms provided by a credible Cloud service provider. You can consider the option of data migration. It would help if you spent your time ascertaining the efforts needed for shifting your information as and when required.

7. Database infrastructure vendor – You might have a credible vendor for your database infrastructures like AWS or Microsoft. If you have the right vendor, the costs you incur are reduced for database management. Otherwise, you need to invest time, effort, and money to recruit new people who have the critical skills to ensure your database system stays protected.

8. Alerts and monitoring – The database system you choose for your business should be easy for you to supervise receive alerts, and act as and when needed. You do not want to opt for any database solutions that compel you to use solutions of your own for monitoring. This will lead up to more expenses, and it can be tough if you have budget constraints as a small business owner. In case you have a bigger company, you can opt for proper database monitoring tools and security alerts if money is no objection to you.

9. Business support system – Your database should give you the business support you deserve. If the database fails to cater to your business needs, you will fail at all your projects. The database will not even help you to attain your business goals. In this way, you will lose a strategic edge in the market. Research thoroughly and ensure that you take the advice of skilled and credible experts before choosing the perfect database for your business needs.

Last but not least, database systems are evolving dynamically today. They are incredibly different from the systems that were available in the past. Today, the modern database needs to look into customer needs and cross-functionality so that it can excel. In this way, the database adds value to the business and helps you in a big way to boost business growth and returns on investment with success!