Databases are essential to the modern world. They store the data that we use every day for work. But what if you could make your database faster, easier to use and more secure? That is where cloud building block technologies come in. These technologies make it possible to create and store databases in the cloud using the power of the internet to make them more accessible and secure than desktop apps.
Why Are Cloud Building Block Technologies Important for SMEs?
Cloud building block technologies are important for SMEs because they offer several benefits which include:
- Increased speed and performance: cloud-based databases are hosted on powerful servers that can handle large amounts of data quickly and easily. This can improve the performance of your applications and websites.
- Increased scalability: cloud databases can easily scale up or down to meet your changing needs. This makes them a good choice for businesses that are growing or changing rapidly.
- Increased flexibility: cloud databases can be accessed from anywhere in the world, using any device with an internet connection. This makes them ideal for businesses with employees who work remotely.
- Lower costs: cloud databases typically cost less than traditional on-premise databases. This can save money in the long run.
For these reasons, cloud building block technologies are an important tool for SMEs. They offer many benefits that can help your business grow and succeed.
What Are Some of the Most Popular Cloud Building Block Technologies?
Some of the most popular cloud building block technologies include:
- Amazon DynamoDB: DynamoDB is a fast and scalable NoSQL database service from Amazon. It is designed for applications that need low latency and high performance.
- MongoDB: MongoDB is a popular open source NoSQL database. It is easy to use and scalable.
- Apache Cassandra: Cassandra is a fast and scalable NoSQL database. It is designed for applications that need high availability and big data processing.
- Microsoft Azure SQL Database: Azure SQL Database is a cloud-based relational database service from Microsoft. It is designed for mission-critical applications that need high performance and scalability.
How Do You Choose the Right Cloud Building Block Technology for Your Business?
When choosing a cloud building block technology for your business, it is important to consider your needs and goals. Some questions to ask include:
1. What types of applications or websites will you be hosting on the cloud?
Cloud databases are commonly used for web applications and websites. There are some business sectors that commonly use cloud databases for application and website hosting. These include:
- Retail: cloud databases are a popular choice for retailers, as they offer the speed and scalability needed to handle large amounts of data. They also allow retailers to access their data from anywhere in the world, making them ideal for businesses with multiple locations.
- Banking and finance: cloud databases are a good choice for banks and financial institutions as they offer high availability and security. They also allow these businesses to meet regulatory requirements, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (a United States federal law that mandates certain practices in financial record keeping and reporting for corporations).
- Healthcare and manufacturing: cloud databases are a popular choice for healthcare organizations as they offer the scalability and flexibility needed to handle large amounts of data. They also allow healthcare organizations to access their data from anywhere in the world, making them ideal for businesses with multiple locations.
- Government: cloud databases are a popular choice for government organizations, as they offer the security and compliance needed to handle sensitive data. Again, they can be accessed from anywhere.
2. What kind of performance and scalability do you need?
A big company needs a cloud database that can handle many transactions and scale up to meet its growing needs. They also need a reliable database that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. So as SMEs start, a cloud database is a great option. And even better with remote work increase in the last few years.
3. How much data will you be storing?
A big company like Amazon stores over 1,000,000,000 gigabytes of data across more than 1,400,000 servers thanks to its cloud-building block technologies. DynamoDB can handle up to 500 million requests daily and MongoDB can store up to 500 GB of data per cluster. This makes it easy for them to handle large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. So don’t worry about how much data you need to store. Any of those solutions will do.
4. What level of security is required?
When implementing cloud databases, it is important to choose a cloud provider that takes data security seriously and has a robust security infrastructure in place. This includes measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and data encryption. The cloud database itself should offer several security features that you are in control of but are still as important, such as role-based access control, user authentication, etc. Other technologies might be needed for extra security.
5. What are your compliance requirements?
Some industries have strict compliance requirements that must be met when storing data. These include the healthcare, banking, and government sectors. When choosing a cloud database, it is important to ensure that it meets these compliance requirements. For example, different sectors and countries have different data governance and compliance requirements: the healthcare industry has HIPAA requirements while the banking sector has Sarbanes-Oxley requirements. The cloud database you choose should be able to meet these compliance requirements. Similarly, different countries have their own data privacy laws that must be adhered to. For example, the European Union has the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) while the United States has the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). Again, when choosing a cloud database, ensure that it meets your country’s compliance requirements.
6. What is your budget?
Cloud databases can be a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. However, it is important to consider the total cost of ownership when making a decision. This includes costs such as cloud provider fees, cloud database fees, and application development costs.
7. What are your long-term goals?
When choosing a cloud database, it is important to consider your long-term goals. For example, if you plan to scale your business in the future, you will need a cloud database that can handle a large amount of data. If you plan to move your data to another cloud provider, you will need a cloud database that is compatible with the new provider.
Conclusion
Cloud database management is a great solution for small businesses that need to handle large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. Additionally, cloud databases can be easily scaled up or down to meet the needs of your business as it grows or changes. After implementing a cloud database, you may want to consider using data analytics to help you make better decisions about how to run your business. Data analytics can help you understand your data more deeply and discover trends and patterns that you may not have been aware of. This information can then be used to make informed decisions about improving your business. Click here to learn more about Business Intelligence (BI).
