Bringing Your Database into the Modern Era

The world of database management can be a complex one. Applications continue to be built on top of special-purpose databases that make it hard to merge data. New innovations such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors are generating never-before-seen quantities of data that must be integrated as well. Here we’ll look at how businesses can simplify some of the challenges associated with database management, along with insights on building an agile, effective management strategy. 

The Challenges of the Modern-Day Database  

Businesses are generating and processing data at an unprecedented volume. While this surge has great benefits for businesses, it can provide a challenge when it comes to the way the databases are maintained. For starters, one of the biggest challenges is when an organization has multiple special-purpose databases storing diverse types of data at various locations throughout the business. There are many examples: in-memory databases for high-speed application needs, document-oriented databases for text searches, time-series databases for time-based events, data warehouses for analytics, and more.  

Even with traditional Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) systems, applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) are often built on top of their own dedicated database.  

In addition to infrastructure complexity, data quality can be an issue when using multiple databases. Incompatible, duplicate, and missing data makes it challenging to pull information together and analyze it coherently. Also, multiple project efforts for managing the same data in separate databases drive up time and costs.  

Generally, the more underlying database architectures a business has, the larger the disparity between file formats and system management tactics. This can make it incredibly hard for data analysts to look holistically at all the information. If your business offers multiple different services based on a piecemeal database, it becomes more difficult to effectively put that data to use. This can also have a trickle-down effect on customer service, especially if one or more databases suffer a loss in quality.  

As data and technology grow in complexity, businesses need to get a handle on their database management strategies so they can be better positioned from an operational standpoint moving forward.  

Meeting & Tackling the Challenges Where They Are

It’s crucial for businesses to have a clear picture of what their objectives are before considering an upgrade to their database management strategy. With businesses generating so many datasets every day, it can be hard to find a core narrative amongst the noise. IT and business leaders need to align on what their databases need to be used for, how they need to be configured, and if these databases can be easily accessed.  

There isn’t a “one size fits all” database approach; you’ll need to select the type of database to meet your use case needs. It’s important to develop a data management strategy to better plan for this complexity. A data management strategy is an overarching framework that guides the complete data lifecycle, how your business sources, stores, integrates, and uses data to make decisions. 

The Actian Data Platform can help you meet the goals of your data management strategy. It integrates, transforms, orchestrates, and stores your data in a single, easy-to-use platform. Using the platform, you can:   

• Bring together data with different formats and infrastructures.
• Resolve duplicate, incomplete, and incompatible data.
• Break down data silos that prevent creating a single-pane view for insights and analysis.
• Make it easy for users to access data.

Check out how the Actian Data Platform can help bring your database into the modern era.

About Teresa Wingfield

Teresa Wingfield is Director of Product Marketing at Actian where she is responsible for communicating the unique value that the Actian Data Platform delivers, including proven data integration, data management and data analytics. She brings a 20-year track record of increasing revenue and awareness for analytics, security, and cloud solutions. Prior to Actian, Teresa managed product marketing at industry-leading companies such as Cisco, McAfee, and VMware.