By Thawipong Anotaisinthawee, Country Manager, Nutanix Thailand
The world of database management has changed. The once hot-button topic debating the benefits of public versus private cloud is fast becoming obsolete, as organizations grapple with operating multiple databases in hybrid cloud environments. With many apps now using more than one database – and modernized containerized applications helping to drive the sprawl of data – the sheer quantity of databases administrators need to manage, with total data volumes in the tens, or even hundreds, of petabytes, can quite simply be too overwhelming to manage.
Add to that the ongoing burden of costs associated with database management, and the ever-increasing risk of security threats, database management can put a significant strain on company resources. However, it’s an issue that cannot be ignored. Given the integral role databases play in the day-to-day running of an organization, businesses have no choice but to find new, easier ways to tackle database management.
Skyrocketing costs
The costs associated with managing the exponential increase in complexity and intricate interdependencies between applications, databases, and external services is becoming problematic. An IDC InfoBrief[1] showed that nearly three quarters (73 percent) of organizations implement multiple tools and processes to manage on-premises databases versus their cloud databases, resulting in companies purchasing redundant tools and having to maintain them, while also putting increasing pressure on staffing. In fact, one study by Forrester Consulting [2] showed that staffing inefficiencies result in organizations having to pay database administrator (DBA) teams significant amounts of overtime so they were able to catch up.
Traditional IT approaches that use legacy tooling to manage databases running on legacy infrastructure are, in today’s climate, simply too slow to meet the mission-critical initiatives of the business. In addition, such approaches result in siloed operations and duplicated resources and processes, further increasing the cost of operations. Organizations are under increasing pressure to reduce spending, driving demand for innovative ways to make database management more efficient, agile, and responsive.
With businesses at a breaking point, we will see more organizations turn to simplified database management solutions which allow multiple databases to be managed via a single platform. Offerings such as Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS), which provides access to databases without requiring users to perform complex operations such as installing, configuring, and maintaining complex infrastructure and database software, will only become more popular as organizations look for more simplified ways to manage multiple databases while also reducing operational costs.
The rise of ransomware
Large scale cyber-attacks can be catastrophic. And with the number of ransomware attacks doubling in 2021, it’s understandable that database managers are concerned; not just about protecting databases from ransomware, but also ensuring that backups are not infected.
Although it’s challenging to protect against ransomware attacks in the first place, database management platforms can assist when it comes to data recovery. In legacy environments, patching security vulnerabilities can result in lengthy periods of downtime, which according to a Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Nutanix[3], equated to US$35,000 per hour in losses from productivity and revenue loss for a composite organization. However, database management systems allow organizations who’ve been infected with ransomware to restore and roll back to a precise point before a compromise took place – a highly efficient method compared with doing so manually.
Solutions that allow for granular point in time backups offer more flexibility for database administrators and IT managers. Much like a video player embedded on a website, this functionality allows you to scrub back and forth to a particular instant, before continuing on in the desired state. This is especially important as some backups might be part of an infected database. With greater granularity, you can avoid restoring from a compromised point in time.
Simplifying database management
The explosion of data that organizations now need to manage, paired with complex, heterogeneous database environments, has resulted in enterprises spending enormous amounts of time and resources to manage their database estates, particularly when considering differing availability and performance SLAs. Many businesses are running business critical applications and services on top of these sprawling databases, without proper integration. It’s a complex, time consuming way of working which comes at enormous operational cost.
In the current economic climate, solutions which simplify database management across public and private clouds, that slash legacy practices from days or weeks to just minutes, and that can protect databases with one-click or fast clones and snapshots to aid data recovery, are a must for organizations now and in the future. Databases are critical to company success, and organizations must transform their infrastructure, management tools, and processes in a way that allows them to reduce costs, improve data recovery and simplify day to day operations.
Source: FAQ
