Database Management Systems … Worth the Investment?

Big Data. Everyone wants it, but no one really knows what it is (unless you’re Big Blue, that is). Well, Big Data is just that… a lot of data… and if you have a lot of data, you need a place to store it. With that comes database management systems (DBMS), which organizes, stores and transforms data into information that’s easily usable. They’ve been around for quite a while, but as interest in Big Data has swelled, so have references to DBMS. Since Big Data refers to data sets that are too large or complex to use with standard methods or tools, interest in a DBMS makes sense. But what about the average small or mid-sized company?

A DBMS definitely offers some benefits:

• Automation in creating, storing and retrieving data
• Reduced data redundancy and inconsistency
• Simultaneous access by multiple users
• Increased security and reliability
• Better data quality

All great things, right? But there are some downsides as well:

• Hardware and software are not free and the price tag can be steep
• Data has to be converted into a form that’s usable across the business and by everyone, that can be a costly process and there’s a risk of data damage.
• You might have to train staff to use the DBMS and you might even need to arrange for technical support

Ultimately the value of a DBMS comes down to how much data your business generates, how it’s used and who needs to access it. Few businesses really even need a DBMS, but we thought you might want to know a little more — maybe you’ll need to pull out a fun fact at a dinner party or something. If you’re unsure of what kind of ROI you could anticipate from installing a DBMS, your friends at SynchroNet would be happy to help you hash it out.