While technology has enabled incredible advancements in every industry, the speed of change has left many organizations scrambling to catch up on how to best manage that technology.

Regardless of its industry, most corporations lack the time, talent, or resources to fully get under the hood of their enterprise technology and ensure it's really working for their business. While the mismanagement of any business-critical apps can end badly, not giving Oracle, SQL Server, or NoSQL databases that power them all the support they need can be particularly devastating.

In our “Definitive Guide to Enterprise Database Management,” we’ve outlined the many options companies have when it comes to the management of their databases. In recent posts we’ve explored the pros and cons of a variety of database management options from an Internal Senior DBA to an Independent Consulting Firm and the less-than-ideal, Accidental DBA. In this post we’ll share one last option to consider — the Managed Service Provider (MSP).

The Managed Service Provider

An MSP can give you the peace of mind of a full-time DBA, oftentimes at a fraction of the expense, with a full team of experts keeping a close, strategic eye on your databases.

This support option is great for organizations of all sizes that prefer a full team of database experts, rather than one person, managing their databases. For organizations looking to free up their Internal Senior DBAs to focus on more strategic initiatives, an MSP can make that possible.

Much like a consultant, most MSPs can also provide support for strategic projects (i.e. implementations, optimizations, upgrades, etc.) as well as the ongoing support of your databases after the completion of the project.

Here are just a few signs it might be time to consider an MSP:

• You’ve struggled to find quality database professionals to manage your Oracle, SQL Server, or NoSQL database environments internally
• Your database needs constant monitoring and protection
• Your database users and business planners need a help desk
• Your database needs to be anchored in the present but ready for the future
• You’re looking for more extensive tools, best practices, and processes 

One potential downside to this option is that, depending on the specific needs of your organization and the pricing strategy of the MSP you partner with, it can be expensive. However, it doesn’t have to be. Look for an MSP that uses fixed-fee pricing— this will allow you to set a budget and stick to it, without the fear of hidden fees.

In our “Definitive Guide to Enterprise Database Management,” we’ve outlined even more tips on how to find the right Oracle, SQL Server, or NoSQL database management solutions for you along with the most common support options, and more. Download your copy here:

If you are looking for an expert to help you think through your business’ database management challenges, we’d love to chat with you.