Database-as-a-Service

Database-as-a-service (DBaaS) allows you to use a database without having to manage it yourself. Where DBaaS is applied the most and who can benefit from it!?

Digital Analytics
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Digital Analytics
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Database-as-a-Service

Database-as-a-service? What is it's meaning and how can we benefit from it?!It sounds like a mouthful, but it's an easy concept to understand.

Database-as-a-service (or DBaaS) allows you to use a database without having to manage it yourself.

This can be great for companies who want the flexibility and scalability of cloud databases while not worrying about costly maintenance and server management.

In this blog post, we'll cover how DBaaS works, the benefits of DBaaS, and why you should consider using it.

How does Database-as-a-service work?

When we talk about "using" databases without actually owning them, we're talking about renting - and that process starts with signing up on the platform.

The Database itself is hosted in the cloud, so you'll need an internet connection to access it.

Most providers will provide a web-based front end that allows you to manage your account and administer your databases.

This is the "as-a-service" part of Database as a Service. Like any other service, you'll pay for what you use and won't have to worry about long-term commitments or enormous upfront costs.

Because DB as a service has no extensive hardware requirements on your end, it's also very affordable.

DBaaS, an excellent solution for small businesses

Database-as-a-service is an excellent solution for small businesses. It has all the benefits of a cloud database without requiring you to handle infrastructure management and maintenance yourself.

This leaves more time for your employees to focus on other aspects that matter, like growing your business.

Using Database-as-a-service, small businesses won't have to hire an entire IT department to run their databases.

They can sign up for a service like Amazon RDS or Oracle Database and focus on growing their business instead of worrying about managing servers, updating software, patching security vulnerabilities, etc.

What should I look for in DBaaS providers?

There are some key points you need to know when choosing Database as a Service Provider.

Here are some of our top tips:

  • Data security is paramount, so you must know where your data is physically located, who has access to it, how it's protected, etc.
  • Find out what SLAs (service level agreements) come standard with each plan. If no guarantees about uptime or maintenance windows are offered, this might not be the right solution for your business needs.
  • Look at the software, hardware, and networking features of each provider.
  • Take advantage of any free trial periods to make sure you are happy with your service before committing long term.
  • The ability for databases to scale up quickly is always important, especially when new features or usage spikes unexpectedly.
  • Look for security features - especially key management and user authentication.
  • Find out what kind of data backup solutions are available to make sure your business stays up in case of an emergency.
  • Make sure there's good customer support available, either via email or live chat - if something goes wrong, speed and clarity can save hours of headache

What are some popular DBaaS platforms?

There are many different Database-as-a-service platforms available. Some of the most popular are:

The benefits of database-as-a-service

Database-as-a-service has many benefits, but we'll cover a few of the most compelling:

Scalability

You don't need to pay for more than you're using. If data storage and traffic increase, your monthly bill will go up too (and it will be clear how much).

This makes DBaaS ideal for companies growing rapidly or whose use varies greatly depending on what projects they're working on at any given time.

Cloud databases can improve application performance.

Cloud databases can cache frequently used data, meaning that your application can access information quickly.

Cloud databases are also helpful for applications that make heavy use of search functions.

Because cloud developers control the way their data is indexed, they can optimize it to speed up queries and return results.

Data security

Using a third party means you don't need to worry about maintaining complex infrastructure or having someone with extensive database expertise in-house (which could be costly).

Cloud services provide network isolation, automated backups, regular snapshots, etc., which all contribute towards making sure your valuable company data stays safe. Moreover, most providers offer encryption-at-rest as standard - so there's no risk of data loss if servers are stolen or lost by accident.

Database-as-a-service is less expensive.

Many companies can benefit from the cost-effectiveness of cloud databases.

Not only is there no need to make a significant initial investment, but you'll also pay for what you use - and won't be tied into long-term contracts or support agreements.

How to use database-as-a-service

First, you'll need to choose a provider and a plan. This will be a monthly subscription where you pay for what you use - there are no upfront costs or committed periods.

Once your account is set up, create users with their own login details to access the Database from remote locations over an internet connection.

You should also check that your app has been configured correctly. If not, this could cause data loss or downtime.

Finally, try using some of the providers' other available features - backups/replication, compression, etc.

These may come in handy down the line, so it's worth taking advantage of them as soon as possible.

The future use of database technologies

There's no doubt that there will be more growth in the cloud database space.

Although they've been around for a little while now, most providers are still working on improving their services and expanding into new tech areas - like machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI).

Since these are still relatively new technologies, their full capabilities are not yet fully understood.

Machine learning allows for data to be analyzed using complex algorithms that can adapt over time - this will likely have a massive impact on how databases are created and managed in the future.

It's possible that AI and machine learning could lead to more personalized service (where each user has access to their own dedicated Database) or completely new databases with a different architecture.

This has made some companies hesitant to use them so far, but as data repositories become less expensive and easier to use, we expect this trend to change.

In the future, every company will be online - and they'll all need databases to store their data.

Conclusion

DB as a service is a huge growth area at the moment. Although it's still relatively new, more and more companies are adopting cloud databases every day - or planning to do so soon!

It can offer significant benefits in price, functionality, and reliability over traditional data storage methods.

If you're thinking about moving away from on-premise solutions, then DBaaS might be right for you too.

DBaaS is ideal for companies that are growing rapidly or have a large number of remote workers.

It's essential to do your research and have a clear idea of what you need from the service before committing.

For more information on Database-as-a-Service, click here to contact us; we'd be glad to help you out!

Published on
September 23, 2021

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