Managing the copious amounts of data at our disposal is one of the defining challenge of our generation. If data was biology, we pour the equivalent of our DNA into companies like Apple and Google on a daily basis. Any business that handles data needs to be concerned about things like:
- Where it resides
- Is it secure
- How it can be leveraged
One way to manage these, and many other concerns, is through database enterprise clustering, which is huge new trend in data management. The subject is a lot more approachable than it might seem. Even without being fully conversant on the subject, it is possible to easily grasp the key ideas.
Cloud computing
Google Docs is an example of a cloud-based application. Many companies run their businesses on apps and services like Google Docs and Gmail. For that to be a viable solution, services have to be just as accessible and reliable in the cloud as they would be if running directly from local hardware.
What consumers most want is for their data to be available to them whenever and wherever they need it. Many consumers are carrying devices with hard drives as small as 16GB. More and more, their critical information resides on remote hardware owned and operated by faceless corporations. One of the big fears is that the data will not be available when they want to access it. Zero downtime is a big part of customer satisfaction and retention. There are services out there like the MariaDB enterprise cluster that try to eliminate that downtime in database retrieval.
Data security
Security should be the foundation of a data-driven enterprise. It is not a luxury option that can be easily pasted on at a later time. With the news full of stories about security breaches in large corporations, one would think that all companies would be reevaluating their own policies and procedures. Sadly, this does not seem to be the case. We continue to learn that data security is laughably weak in places we should expect otherwise.
One of the major security challenges lies in the tug-of-war between security and convenience. A database can be extremely convenient or extremely secure. Not both. A password is inconvenient. A secure password, even more so. Two-factor authentication can be a real pain. You will notice that as the convenience meter drops, the security meter skyrockets. Be sure that your database management system does not err on the side of excessive convenience features that unnecessarily reduce security. This is one of the biggest causes of security vulnerabilities and breaches according to ZDnet.
Getting the most out of the data we have
Big data has become the new enterprise buzzword of the day. But while everyone is trying to get the largest quantity of data possible, they are often unclear about what to do with it, or how to leverage it.
According to Econsultancy:
Datasets are multiplying as we measure lots more than we used to. This means our thinking has to broaden – no longer is ‘what can we do with our database of email addresses?’ the question, rather ‘what data can we look at to give us the best idea possible of a customer’s stage in the buying cycle and what they’ll be receptive to next?’
Informationweek breaks out 5 Big Data Use Cases To Watch:
A 360 degree view of the customer
- Internet of Things
- Data warehouse optimization
- Big data service refinery
- Information security
However you define and leverage your datasets, a strong tech foundation for database management will be at the heart of it.
Featured image credit: Information concept: computer keyboard with word Data/ShutterStock
