Easily run complex database as a service projects on Kubernetes

The Benefits of Database as a Service

Are you considering a move to DBaaS? The upfront time and effort required to port your operations might be substantial, but the benefits are often worth it. Here are some to look forward to:

It’s cost-effective

One of the biggest reasons to consider fully managed database services is the cost savings.

First, you don’t need to worry about infrastructure investments like servers, storage, and networking equipment. That’s because the DBaaS provider will handle that for you. This also takes installation, security, monitoring, and maintenance tasks off your plate, reducing the in-house staffing you need.

Apart from freeing your budget, managed database providers will also help liberate your IT team to focus on more mission-critical aspects of your business. Database analysts, for example, can focus on working with data without worrying about the underlying system.

It’s scalable

It’s scalableDue to the rapid pace at which online businesses grow, scaling becomes a major challenge. Investing in additional network storage isn’t only expensive, but it can also slow down operations.

DBaaS neatly solves this problem. Expanding storage is as simple as provisioning storage and computing resources or creating a new database instance. There’s no need to buy new equipment or invest in IT infrastructure professionals to set up everything. Developers can easily do these tasks.

But it’s not just about scaling up. DBaaS can also help you scale down to maximize your cost. For instance, you can provision for a bigger capacity during peak seasons, then throttle it down during lean months to save money. This flexibility is something that only a database as a service provider can offer.

It simplifies management

Because DBaaS is a fully managed solution, there’s very little you need to do on your end. The provider handles everything from security to updates. That makes DBaaS a fantastic cost-effective solution for smaller organizations that don’t want to maintain an in-house database administration team.

Even for larger companies, DBaaS still offers benefits from a management perspective. Most providers allow you to manage certain aspects by your in-house team, while the rest can be set on auto-pilot.

It’s secure and reliable

As long as you choose the best provider, a DBaaS system can be more stable and secure than an on-premise database.

A good DBaaS provider will use enterprise-grade software to help maintain the database architecture. Security is a top priority, with stringent encryption and access management protocols to keep your data safe.

Reputable providers will also have a service-level agreement (SLA) in your contract, guaranteeing the DBaaS system will always be up. This lessens the likelihood of server downtime that can disrupt your operations. And in case it happens, you’ll be compensated accordingly.

Finally, DBaaS companies often invest in the best software and regularly update them. This gives you the best, most stable options in the market with the best performance and cybersecurity.

It makes your organization future-ready

With a DBaaS system, you won’t worry about getting technologically outdated by the market. You’ll always have access to the latest technologies and platforms that can give your company an edge.

Choosing the Right Database Service Provider

If you are exploring potential DBaaS providers, here are the top things you should look for when considering them:

Scalability and performance

Performance is perhaps the number one priority when picking a DBaaS provider. Make sure the speed of real-time data access fits your application’s requirements.

You should also look into how scalable the solution is. Can you easily provide more storage or bandwidth to accommodate increased users during peak season? Performance is useless if you can’t maximize it when it matters.

Service Uptime

Nowadays, customers and users expect online services to be up 100% of the time. While that’s not possible, your DBaaS should come close. 99.999% is the standard – the more nines, the better.

As important to availability is the ability of the DBaaS to recover when downtime occurs. It should be fast enough to minimize data loss and avoid users going over to competitors.

The right fit with your applications

Not all DBaaS will fit well with your applications and systems. Sometimes, a faster response time is needed that a provider can’t cover. Unfortunately, you won’t realize this until you’ve deployed it in your business.

A compromise is to create a prototype application, then test it in the new DBaaS. That should help you evaluate the database’s performance and data access speeds against real-world factors.

Data Models

Relational databases have been the traditional setup for data storage. But with the various types of data available today, so too are the data models you can use.

For example, some applications might be better off by storing and accessing JSON documents, while others do well via graphs.

A DBaaS solution must offer most (or all) of the latest data models for the best flexibility. Your organization might not need them now, but having the capability means you’ll be ready.