There are two key types of cloud databases available for a business. The traditional database is like an on-site managed database on the premise of the company. It has infrastructure provisioning, and this makes it different from the regular database in-house. Here, the business will buy virtual space from the host of the cloud database provider. The system is in the cloud, and developers use traditional IT professionals or a DevOps model to access the database. They control it and are accountable for its management and oversight.
The second type is the database being a service or a DBaaS model. The company enters into a contract with the provider of the Cloud database service via a subscription fee. Here, the service provider will offer a range of operational, administrative, management, and maintenance tasks to the user. The database system operates on the infrastructure of the service provider. This model covers automation, high availability, scaling, backup, provisioning, and monitoring the database’s health. The model offers companies great value permitting them to deploy database management that is outsourced. It can be optimized by automation of the software over hiring and IT experts in-house for the database management. Refer to RemoteDBA for more information.
Advantages of Cloud databases for an organization
Like other services on the Cloud, the cloud database offers the following benefits-
- Enhanced innovation and agility – These databases do not take much time and effort to be set up and decommissioned. This makes testing, validating, and operations super quick. The business can incorporate ideas easily and faster. In case the business does not want to put any project into operation, it can immediately abandon the database and project to move on to the next planned innovation.
- No need to shop – When a business deploys a cloud database, there are no hassles when it comes to hardware orders. The company no longer needs to wait for shipments, correct installation, and setup of the network when a new product stays in its development queue. Access to the database system can be attained in just a few minutes.
- Lesser risks – These databases on the cloud provide multiple opportunities for reducing risks across the organization, specifically for the DBaaS model. Cloud database providers generally deploy automation for reinforcing best security practices as well as features to reduce human errors, which is the main reason for downtime. The availability of automated features and SLAs eliminate and reduce the loss of revenues caused by database downtime. This means the capacity for forecasting no longer remains a critical problem when projects are being incorporated in the business. The Cloud database system is just like an unlimited pool where you can place your services and infrastructure.
What are the management choices for cloud databases?
To promote cost-effectiveness, companies have choices for managing their cloud databases. These styles of management can be divided into four categories that have been listed below-
- Self-managed cloud databases – In this database model, the business operates the database on the cloud, but it manages the system with itself. It generally deploys in-house support and resources for management. There is no integration of automation with the cloud service provider. The business gets the standard advantage of having its database in the cloud. They get better agility and flexibility; however, the company maintains control over database management and is accountable for its tasks.
- Automated cloud database – Here, the business uses the database application program interface on the cloud to assist with its life cycle functions. The business has access to the servers of the database and can control its configurations and operating systems. The automated database service has restricted SLAs and excludes planned tasks like maintenance and patching.
- Managed cloud database –This database model is like the automated cloud database system; however, the service provider does not permit user access to the servers that host the system. The configuration is restricted to the configurations that the cloud vendor supports. The end-user is not permitted to install software applications owned by them.
- Autonomous cloud database – This model is a new and innovative hands-free database model where machine learning and automation removes the need for human tasks related to database performance and management. The services here cover SLAs for applications critical to the business, like zero-downtime functions for planned and unplanned service and database lifecycle tasks.
Modern businesses and the future of cloud databases
Note that every industry right from financial companies to healthcare establishments can benefit from the use of cloud database systems and solutions. The choice remains on the business to use it or not. The business needs to consider the types and models listed above to determine which one will work the best for the enterprise’s specific needs.
Most companies choose to embrace a staged approach to embracing cloud database systems. They like to blend their conventional database models with the DBaaS models. For some again, like those mostly in the financial sector, it is prudent to keep sensitive and critical data in-house for the reasons of security.
The scenario today is transforming fast, and DBaaS models have become quite robust. Many businesses are successfully using it to streamline their processes. The shift to the autonomous cloud database is gaining popularity as it promises companies better opportunities and advantages when they decide to migrate their database system to the cloud.
The future of databases is the self-driven autonomous database system. It saves time and effort. The business gets the chance to focus on core matters of the company. The database no longer depends on traditional tasks that were performed by DBAs in the past. These systems are better equipped to manage hardware failures, and they can be easily scaled for capacity and performance as and when needed. Besides the above, they can safeguard data from malicious external and internal user attacks. They reduce downtime issues and losses. In short, they are great for planned maintenance and the revenues of the business.