Data campaign

©2021 IDC #US47176821 6 These enterprises are taking different paths: some are switching key applications to SaaS versions and using their managed database services, some are redeploying their databases as manually managed databases using cloud infrastructure services, some are redeploying their database in locally managed (private) cloud configurations, and some are migrating straight to managed database services in the public cloud. Most are likely to end up moving most production data to managed database services in the public cloud because the economics of such a move are extremely compelling. Enterprises considering such a move should take into account the following: ▪ Moving data to a manually managed database in the public cloud is at best a short-term option because the savings from such a move are not compelling and, in some cases, could actually prove more expensive than keeping the data on premises. ▪ Moving data to a managed service in the public cloud relieves the enterprise of the responsibility of managing the database server instances, including software upgrades and patches; the responsibility of maintaining backup and recovery facilities; and the responsibility of handling high availability/disaster recovery (DR) issues; and frees staff time for more high- value work that serves directly the needs of the enterprise. ▪ Managed database services offered by the public cloud service provider often include optimizations built into the environment that ensure better performance, more flexible deployment, and more cost-effective operations than those offered by third parties, though such a move also represents a significant commitment to that public cloud. ▪ In planning any such move, one should consider factors such as SQL compatibility, stored procedures migration (if one has stored procedures), the ability of staff to adapt to the new DBMS, issues with application code conversion, and whether this move fits into a larger strategy of public cloud adoption. It seems clear that the public cloud is the platform where most enterprise data will reside and that a managed database service is the most sensible path for managing such data. Choosing the right managed database service must be done carefully, with an eye to the long-term implications of such a move.

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