During this age of continuous digital transformation, the pace of technological advancement has completely changed many aspects of database management. We’ve previously opined (on more than one occasion) on the evolving role of the database administrator (DBA) as databases move to the cloud and  processes move toward automation. 

However, even with this parade of change, there are certain characteristics of a well-managed database that will never fade from importance. These timeless and technology agnostic signs will always be indicative of a healthy database:

Optimized for Business Intelligence 

Without proper Business Intelligence (BI) tools for reporting, raw data is obsolete. Well-managed database systems must have structures in place for a variety of data visualization and reporting options. DBAs must ensure their database systems are continuously adapted and optimized to keep up with newly released cloud features including the latest BI tools. 

Sophisticated Security

Your organization’s database is home to a wealth of critical and sensitive data, so it’s imperative that your business stores it safely and securely. As databases advance and become more immersed in cloud technology, hackers have also become more sophisticated. DBAs have to put increased emphasis on data encryption and security to prevent breaches. So just because you’ve migrated certain workloads to the cloud, you should never take a “set it and forget it” mindset; if anything, security features and processes are constantly changing with cloud providers, and you must set it as a priority to constantly keep up. 

Well-managed databases must also be protected from damage or loss. DBAs should also establish a strong Disaster Recovery Architecture, backup and disaster recovery procedures, and test these backups regularly. With monitoring tools and alerts in place to forewarn potential or current threats, DBAs can greatly minimize the effects of database disasters.

Reliable and Responsive Support

While we always hope for the best, a well-managed database needs to be prepared for the worst with reliable support for your databases. That’s why it’s imperative you have a skilled support service that’s available 24/7 and monitoring systems ready to respond, if/when problems occur. This can be a challenge if you're working with an on-site DBA, who cannot realistically be available 24/7/365. Partnering with a managed service provider can help you bridge those gaps to keep your databases covered should the worst (i.e. unexpected outages) happen.

Your business’ databases are the core of your organization, housing information that is critical to numerous departments from marketing to sales and beyond. To truly maximize your business’ investment, you need a well-managed database that is secure, has adequate support, and allows your employees to efficiently visualize and interpret data. 

Finding the right management solution for your databases is critical to keeping them running smoothly. But there are a lot of things to consider — cost, time, resources. Whether you work with an in-house DBA, a remote consultant, or a managed services provider (MSP), you want to ensure that you get a solid return on your database investment. That’s why we’ve outlined the ROI for the top database management solutions in this Database ROI Resource. You can get your free copy here and give us a call if you want to learn more about the advantages of working with an MSP.