The emergence of Database Archiving as a new foundation function for IT Data Management was on a solid track before the recession hit. It was stopped in its tracks due to budget and staff cuts. This is normal for new technologies. Before the recession we saw that most IT shops were acutely aware of the problems that maintaining lots of inactive data in operational systems causes.
Solutions implemented before the recession included a mix of home-grown and vendor solutions. The results were not encouraging. Failure to achieve expectations and unexpected problems coming out the implementations were common due to the newness of the technology and inexperience implementing it. It became apparent that implementation matters: a robust implementation can yield high returns in a short time whereas an incomplete of flawed implementation can be disastrous.
The problems created by not implementing Database Archiving have not gone away, they have only gotten larger. No alternative solution has risen to displace Database Archiving as a potentially valuable practice.
Technology has improved
During the past three years the technology of Database Archiving has improved. All of the vendors have improved their offerings. Independent consultants have emerged to help in planning, organizing, selecting applications, and implementation. The understanding of what it takes to do a successful implementation has improved.
Why Consider it Now?
Most IT shops do not consider Database Archiving a priority to tackle with improving budgets. However, it is a topic that can be ideal for a recovering budget. It can deploy new dollars more effectively, with a faster return than most others.
The reasons to consider are:
- low cost to implement – 1 or 2 dedicated staff members can implement many applications
- quick time to implement – most first applications can be implemented in a few weeks.
- quick return on investment – pent-up and growing problems translate to early payback
- high visibility – improving operational performance gets everyone’s attention
- easy to document results – shows value; makes spending precious budget dollars worth it
Rarely does a new technology require so little to get started and return benefits so quickly. Database Archiving may be the spark that gets your data management function back to improving the professional management of your most precious asset: your data.
You make a lot of great points here, Jack. I think many shops struggle with dormant data in their production databases. This results in two primary problems: (1) the performance of accessing the production database declines because of the added data, and (2) the potential of exposing the dormant data to inadvertent change. Both issues are solves with an intelligent database archiving plan and implementation.
ReplyDelete