In the world of information technology, a database management system (DBMS) is a commonly applied software application that provides an interface between users and a database. If you don’t know exactly what that means, or why a DBMS is important to your company, we present a quick primer below.
A DBMS is software that handles the storage, retrieval and updating of data in a computer system. Consider it the electronic, software-based version of a physical filing cabinet where you put away your pertinent records and documents. A DBMS enables companies to easily organize, store, retrieve and interact with its data on file. To facilitate this, a DBMS consists of four key components:
So, how is a DBMS used?
DBMSs allow developers to create a database, fill it with information and create ways to query and change that information without having to worry about the technical aspects of data storage and retrieval. There are a few features of a DBMS that make it a perfect solution for storing, retrieving and updating data in such a way:
Users have a plethora of options when it comes to the way in which they store their data. So what are the chief benefits afforded by using a DBMS? Let’s take a look:
Many web applications rely on a DBMS, from search engines and article directories, to social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Almost any site that offers a user registration with personal logon details, rather than a single shared password, will probably require a DBMS – or a similar data storage system – as will e-commerce systems, blogs and collaborative sites such as Wikis and multiple-user content management systems.
Want to learn more about DBMSs? Click here to read one article in a series on DBMSs penned by industry expert Gail Seymour.
There's no two ways about it – every business, no matter its size, must utilize at least one database for its critical information. Databases house every piece of content that is important to a company, from details about its clients to its own historical purchases and marketing campaigns. Every organization needs databases, but choosing the right system for your firm may be easier said than done.
No two database services are the same – some offer capabilities and features that are simply not available in other arrangements. Administrators and decision-makers must analyze their corporation's needs and understand the abilities of their database options to ensure they select one that will position their brand for success. When it comes to choosing the best database, there are several tips and considerations to factor in, including the following:
1) What is the current size of the business, and how much could it grow?
One important item to consider is the current size of the business and how much information it will need to house within its database solution. A small company may only need very basic database services to begin with, but as it grows, these needs will likely grow, noted Shivam Technologies. If the firm expands organically or grows through the acquisition of another organization, it will require additional database resources to account for this extra information. Therefore, when decision-makers are seeking to deploy the corporation's first database, they should ensure that the system is scalable and can grow to meet their demands.
2) On-premise, dedicated or in the cloud?
When implementing a database, administrators must also decide if they would like the system to be housed within their own on-premise infrastructure or if the platform will be hosted in the cloud by a service provider, noted Dice contributor Nick Kolakowski. Hosted databases can offer numerous benefits for an enterprise, including the fact that the resources can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection. This way, even workers in the most geographically dispersed locations can connect with the company database through an online portal.
3) How much will the company spend on its database services?
The price point for the database system is also an essential consideration to make. Shivam Technologies noted that there are basic database services available for as little as a few hundred dollars. However, these may not include the robust features and capabilities an organization needs to meet its demands. Therefore, decision-makers must find an adequate balance between the tools available within the database system and the price they pay for it. For instance, many businesses these days are opting for cloud-based SQL or NoSQL database services for the cost-efficiency and usability.
4) Is it portable?
IT Business Edge suggested also taking a look at the portability of the system and the cloud provider, in order to avoid any vendor lock-in.
"When looking at different cloud database solutions, consider whether the tool allows you the freedom and flexibility to move your applications and data to whatever cloud provider you choose, yet still utilizes all of the tools and applications you've developed," IT Business Edge stated.
5) What security measures come built-in?
Especially when looking at databases that will be hosted and accessed through the service provider, administrators should take a look at the vendor's security infrastructure. The database may come with certain security features, but the company may want to add additional protections on its side – including authentication credentials for user access – to provide added oversight and peace of mind.
6) What is the vendor's track record?
Lastly, decision-makers should take a look at the database provider themselves to ensure that they are utilizing the services of a trusted, industry-leading vendor. Hostway has established quite the reputation in the sector for providing best-in-class database services that are flexible, available and secure. Contact a Hostway representative today to find out more about all the advantages a Hostway database solution can offer.
Currently, one of the largest, most powerful databases in the world belongs to the Library of Congress.
According to Free Republic, that resource includes a whole host of informational materials, from federal documents to newspapers dating back to the colonial era. The Library of Congress's database boasts about 130 million items, including 29 million books and 5 million digital documents. All told, the text items alone in the database comprise a staggering 20 terabytes of data, with an estimated 10,000 items being added to the more than 500 miles of shelf space every day.
While this is no doubt one of the biggest databases the world has ever seen, it is definitely not the only one of its kind. However, with advancing computing functionalities, their use has not only increased, but has become a more critical part of company processes. Interparty noted that enterprise databases are now leveraged for internal purposes, as well as to provide information to the public, and will only play an increasingly pivotal role for companies as time goes on.
Top uses for databases in the business sector
Since the dawn of the Internet age, as database services have become more cost effective and available, businesses have found a number of new uses for databases in enterprise settings. Demand Media's Ian Linton noted that there are several ways Internet-based companies are leveraging their databases, including to house product information. With easily accessible resources containing all of the business's products and associated details, employees can ensure that their website always has the most up-to-date information on hand.
Customer information is another usage case for modern databases. Linton pointed out that such a resource can be beneficial in a range of situations, including for marketing and customer relationship management purposes. However, companies must adhere to any privacy and data protection regulations within their industry.
Each shopper's transaction history can be included in such a customer database. These details allow employees to create personalized offers for clients based on what they've bought in the past.
"By recording information on customers' product searches, information requests and purchases, you can also build a detailed picture of individual customers' product preferences, purchasing history and future buying potential," Linton wrote.
Top benefits of business databases
Databases can provide more than an easily searchable range of information. In an enterprise setting, databases enable a reduction in complexity, noted Quintify. As the resource provides a navigable and accessible reservoir of company information, employees can easily check on the status of a project, a customer or campaign, and reduce time wasted tracking connected items down individually.
"With a good database, everyone knows where to find the information they need at the moment they need it," Quintify pointed out.
Such availability of data can also foster more impactful decision-making on the part of business leaders. Tracking employee activities, ongoing projects, customer purchases and other important processes is much easier with all the associated information on hand in one location.
Such a resource can offer a built-in investment for the company as well.
"Not only does a database provide immediate ROI, but also adds to the long-term financial value of your business - it's an awesome investment," Quintify stated.
However, all these benefits are only actionable when the database is available across the company. This is especially important for organizations with several locations as the database must be accessible for employees in each office. With robust database hosting services from Hostway, all of the business's important resources will always be on and always available, ensuring that all the advantages databases offer can be leveraged by the organization.
It's the nature of an entrepreneur to have rich, innovative ideas and plans with the potential to be quite rewarding. Much of their success revolves around effective planning, organization and execution. But implementing such ideas and plans is never a smooth affair – many problems, issues, changes and risks can crop up, leaving the door open for confusion and mismanagement – problems that in turn can result in troublesome delays or the outright failure of the initiative
No one wants to waste their time, money and effort with no tangible gains. So many adopt solutions for planning, organization and execution of business plans and projects.
Internet-based project management tools facilitate enhanced planning and organization of projects and plans, helping team members execute them in an orderly and scheduled manner. Problems and issues become more easily identifiable, and thus can be more easily resolved. Communication and collaboration are enhanced and recorded; tasks can be better distributed and executed in a systematic manner. Accountability improves, and efficiency is boosted.
Below is a list of eight project management tools that should help entrepreneurs develop a better understanding of which tools they should further investigate.
1. Basecamp: This application tops the list of project management applications. In it, users can stack all their tasks, discussions, schedules, files and other important project information in a single centralized location. Through its dashboard feature, people remain updated about any new activities being performed in projects they are assigned. Members’ access to different project areas can be easily controlled. It’s well integrated with various third-party tools for time-tracking, mobile, accounting and invoicing, to name a few.
2. ProofHub: Proofhub stands apart from similar applications in terms of effective functionality and ease of use. Collaboration among team members worldwide is well integrated and efficient. Mobile integration is handled well for on-the-go updating. Tasks can be properly described and better distributed among members, so that they are executed in a scheduled and systematic manner. Time spent over various tasks’ execution is precisely documented, and Gantt bar charts assess a project’s progress. It also provides subtasks and labels for better task management.
3. Asana: Asana facilitates teamwork without the use of emails. Team members’ ideas, conversations, plans, files and tasks are consolidated, boosting team efficiency and output. Members are quickly updated on important project updates. As important goals and milestones can be better visualized, these can be achieved in a timely manner.
4. Trello: Trello enhances organization of plans and projects so they can be conducted rapidly and with ease. Its specialty is "cards" which are employed for precise documentation of important information. Users can create their own apps and plugins as per their unique needs. Its intuitive interface makes communication and collaboration among group members easy, updating them on project progress. Tasks get assigned, managed and executed in a systematic manner.
5. Wrike: This utilitarian tool improves efficiency at work by enabling team members to work in a collaborative, fast and flexible manner. Wrike includess various features like templates, activity streams and Gantt charts which enhance work productivity and save time. Tasks can be created with ease from emails. Its notable integrations are with applications like Gmail, IBM and Dropbox, among others.
6. Podio: With Podio, users employ "work spaces" to create various customizable apps to their specific needs to execute tasks in a better way. Task management, commenting, file sharing, activity streams and likes are some useful features in this application.
7. Teamwork: Teamwork significantly reduces the need to hold face-to-face meetings over work-related matters. Team members can conduct their work from any location in the world. Members’ access to various project tasks and items can be effectively controlled through its lock-down feature. Like Proofhub and Wrike, its Gantt chart feature enables precise tracking and proper analysis over projects’ progress.
8. AtTask: This enterprising application enables enhanced communication and collaboration among team members over work through its social collaboration feature. Members’ work requests can be easily seen and better compared as they are located at a single location. Its key features are dashboards, team management, time tracking and report building.
With these useful tools, entrepreneurs can better organize and implement their plans and projects, giving them a better chance of having their dreams and aspirations come true. So take an in-depth look at some of these products, decide how each will suit your needs and interests, and choose the tool that perfectly fits your needs.
A project and business manager by profession, Sharon loves to write about ways to simplify work through a project management software. She tries to provide an insight into the best project management tools out there and how they help people in improving their productivity and efficiency, as well as save time to focus on what’s more important.
When it comes to maximizing the performance, value and scalability of their infrastructure, businesses want the best of both worlds. The features and benefits that they derive from their critical applications must outweigh the headaches of managing and running them.
Enter managed hosting: A customized solution that works for a customer’s particular infrastructure and business needs.
The business benefits of managed hosting are plentiful:
With the benefits of hosting in general set aside, choosing a Windows managed server or a Linux-based solution is the initial critical decision. Which is the most appropriate in the context of the business and the job that needs to be done?
Factors to consider include the purpose of your hosting environment, which types of databases will be used, and what development language is used to create your application. Cost, performance and security are also key considerations. Let's compare Windows and Linux on some of these factors:
Development language: Most Linux hosting environments utilize a MySQL database or a compatible replacement. A Windows managed server environment should be used for hosting if you plan on using ASP or ASP.NET-based applications, or an SQL Server (MS SQL) or Access database. In either case, the developer’s recommended minimum hosting requirements for running the application should be reviewed before a decision is made.
Scalability: Windows is more easily made compatible with Linux-based programming features like PHP and MySQL. Linux-based web software is not always 100 percent compatible with Microsoft technology like .NET.
Server access: Both Microsoft and Linux hosting utilize FTP access, which allows users to transfer files to the server from a remote computer. Linux also offers SSH and Telnet access.
Security: Both Linux and Windows managed servers require strong security protection, so businesses should investigate the security measures a hosting provider employs before signing up for service. Microsoft has seen a high level of vulnerabilities, likely because many more exploits are created for Windows than Linux.
Stability: The need for reboots is well known in Windows, while Linux machines seldom need them. In an apples-to-apples comparison, Linux has historically performed better.
Cost: Price is and will always be a huge factor to consider. Linux is free, while Microsoft products have costs associated with licensing.
Performance: Both Windows and Linux platforms perform comparably in low-stress situations, but Linux servers under high load tend to be superior to Windows.
One of the perks of using a Windows managed server is that the business reaps all the benefits of the industry’s leading operating system and one of the top platform providers. Microsoft has an estimated 45 percent share of the server market to Linux's 21 percent, according to IDC. The latest Windows version – Windows Server 2012 – offers significant improvements to patching, disk management, file storage, protocol, active directory and virtualization, and is making a very strong case for itself for businesses that require a high level of scalability and support.
Truly understanding the hosting requirements of your business will go a long way in helping choose the right path.
In honor of “Clean Out Your Computer Day,” February 10, we’re walking through the process of squeezing every drop of performance out of your PC – and more importantly, help you have a more stable and secure machine.
As an IT guy and gamer, I take pride in how my PC performs under a myriad of conditions. Whether I’m over-clocking a CPU or installing a new set of LED lights in the chassis, I’m always afforded opportunities to evaluate the hardware and software performance. Like many IT professionals, I’m often cornered by family members or colleagues and grilled on why their computers are slow. I’m always amazed how poorly some PCs are maintained. Amazed, but seldom surprised.
Each of the eight helpful tips below can be done in just five minutes or less:
1. Turn off unneeded widgets: Many background programs – such as widgets on your desktops like the clock and weather – are often guilty of bogging down all but the most robust systems. Desktop widgets are notorious memory gluttons, and can slow your system down substantially if your system is older. If you don’t need it or don’t use it, turn it off.
2. Clean your hardware: You’ve seen how dusty your house gets, just imagine what your machine looks like inside. Open up your physical tower (not applicable to laptops) and hold a can of compressed air in an upright position and proceed to blow out the inside of the case with special attention to the fans. Take great care to open a window first or take the machine outside to avoid breathing in the fumes. Clear the heat sink fan, as well as the PC’s intakes where air is sucked in. Make sure to pay attention to the vents and cooling fans that create airflow through the PC. They tend to be the most clogged.
3. Get rid of desktop clutter: Clean up your desktop by deleting unneeded documents and icons. Or better yet, get rid of every non-essential icon on your desktop and put them in a folder. Your PC will accelerate some, no longer having to refresh all those icons.
4. Check for and remove unwanted programs: Use the Programs and Features (newer) or Add/Remove Programs (older) control panel in Windows. Highlight a program to see available options, and click to completely uninstall it. Mac users may typically drag unwanted programs into the Trash.
5. Clean out junk files to recover disk space: Windows 7 users should go into the Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools and run Disk Cleanup. It will list all the junk files you should remove. If you have Windows 8, type "disk cleanup" in the user interface to find the application. Disk Cleanup will identify and prompt you to remove files that are no longer of any use such as temporary Internet files, temporary Windows files, setup log files, Downloaded program files and your recycle bin.
6. Check for adware and malware: Adware, malware and spyware refer to programs that can compromise your computer's performance and create security holes. There are specialized free programs designed to find and erase adware and spyware. Two of my favorite free ones are Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Piriform's CCleaner. CCleaner has the added benefit of clearing out cookies and bloated files from your Internet browsers, and can also scan for registry issues.
7. Ensure your virus protection is up to date: There are many options available to protect your PC, including paid and free Antivirus programs. One of my favorite antivirus programs is AVG Free Edition. Cybercriminals and identity thieves thrive on accessing PCs without dated or no Antivirus protection installed. While no precaution is ever full proof a robust Antivirus is enough protection for the typical user with normal online activity. Remember it is best to run the program on an automated schedule to ensure routine updates and scans to keep your system safe and secure.
8. Defragment your hard drive: It’s a great help if it fits your hardware, but never run a defragment utility on a solid state hard drive. Over time, as you add and delete files on your system, you may not realize you are creating a giant mess on your hard drive. As you first begin to write files, they are stored in a single area of available space. As those files are deleted, they leave holes of available space that will eventually fill with new files. Over time, your machine will have to seek your entire hard drive for pieces of a file which may have been spread across the platter to fill these holes. The result is a system that is much slower in retrieving information, booting up, starting programs, etc. Defragmenting your hard drive allows your files to avoid being scattered and improves your system performance substantially.
And finally, some advice: Back up your data on an external hard drive, a USB drive, or better yet, store your data in the cloud. Much like an old VHS cassette that ages and decays, a typical hard drive has an expiration date. Generally speaking, there is a 5% chance your hard drive will fail each year; after three years, that increases to 12%.
With these tips in mind, you can tackle one Spring Cleaning task early. You’ll really notice the difference.
It’s been a few months since the release of iOS7, and most Apple customers have upgraded their mobile devices. Whether you love or hate it – or simply just grin and bear the new interface – it’s worth looking back at the rationale for the radically new design and its impact on user experience.
Apple’s redesign goes deeper than aesthetics. The interface itself shifted from static to dynamic – the parallax platform is not controlled by pre-programmed animation and graphics, but by physical behavior controlled by the user. The result is a visual bouncing between screens as they shift, slide and zoom. For some Apple users, the effect induces a bit of motion sickness.
The reason for Apple’s shift in iOS7 is a sound one – parallax not only opens the door for better compatibility across mobile platforms, but also dramatically improves user experience. Rather than leveraging technologies such as Flash – which Apple does not use – parallax deploys true animation. This translates into apps that are more dynamic, more flexible, and controlled more thoroughly by user interaction.
Ideally, we’ll soon see iOS and its associated apps begin exploring these new capabilities. Whether you’re planning version 2.0 or 10.0, you should always remember:
Beta Testing. Test, test, and test some more. The closer you are to a project, the larger your blinders are. Solid feedback from a variety of customers can be the difference between a solid launch and a major flop.
Don’t Fall in Love. It’s easy to get caught up on one specific feature. Sometimes that feature is the death of the project. If it’s not working, let it go. You may be surprised at the result – you may even like the product better without it. If that feature is still vital to retain competitiveness or customer loyalty, it can be worked into subsequent releases.
Remember the 80/20 Rule. You’re better off launching a product with 80% of the features functioning in precision than not launching at all. That extra 20% can cause unnecessary delays or scope creep. In some instances, that extra effort can delay a release indefinitely. There’s always going to be room for development, and you have to be wise enough to know when to proceed. Baby steps forward are better than no steps at all.
Development is a marathon that often takes unexpected turns. Prioritizing features is a delicate process that requires compromises. A balance between requirements of the competitive landscape and customer loyalty must always be taken into consideration, but so should realistic expectations. Apple’s iOS7 release may not have been perfect, but it laid a very solid foundation for the next phase of development.
With matters of security, support, accessibility and redundancy in mind, it’s crucial to choose the right data center for your company. Whether you’re building out your own infrastructure, colocating or hosting with a provider, your data will ideally reside in this location for years. Not asking the right questions could result in a failure that could cost your business a significant amount of time and money.
In the past year, we’ve seen major data center outages from big names like Amazon, Dropbox, Microsoft and Google. The 49 minutes of downtime for Amazon cost the company an estimated $5 million in missed revenue.
For an in-depth look at what choosing the wrong data center could cost you, review Ponemon’s 2013 Study on Data Center Outages. When speaking with data center managers, 84% said they would rather walk barefoot over hot coals than experience data center downtime, but 91% of them actually experienced an unplanned outage in the past 24 months.
We all know that technology fails, but it’s important to choose the most reliable data center that meets your needs. But how do you make the choice? According to InformationWeek Editor Kurt Marko, “CIOs have a bad case of the paradox of choice: Faced with myriad alternatives – private data centers, leased wholesale space, colocated facilities, managed infrastructure services, virtual private clouds, public IaaS, PaaS, SaaS – they get overwhelmed and become paralyzed.”
So what should you look for when choosing the right data center?
Finally, make sure that you develop a trusted advisor relationship with your provider or the owner of your data center. Technology fails; what’s important is that it is limited and responded to quickly. Ensuring that your data center team feels that their success is intertwined with yours will help build a stronger relationship and lead to continued IT success for your company.
When a person enters a domain name into a browser or requests information from a website, that request is normally routed through a series of servers until it reaches the server housing the site. The farther the request must travel, the more time it takes to reach its destination. The same rule applies to the response on its way back.
The Shortest Distance
A content delivery network streamlines this process by shortening the distance the request and data must travel. With a content delivery network, groups of servers are deployed over a large geographic area. The CDN replicates its clients’ data and stores it at each location. When a request comes in, the CDN servers work together to identify the quickest route to transmit the data to the end user.
Better Reliability
Because CDN servers are spread out geographically and over the Internet, they also provide enhanced reliability because they are not affected by a slowdown or outage in one area. A CDN can reroute data through the next-quickest route to ensure delivery to the end user.
Takes a Load off Your Server
Another advantage of storing your files in each Point of Presence (PoP) on the CDN network is that the requests served by the CDN servers aren’t processed by your servers, thus lightening those servers’ load.
Choosing the right software to power your business is of the utmost importance. Making the wrong investment could severely cripple an enterprise, so it’s in your best interest to look for cost-effective, flexible solutions to power your operations.
In the past, software decision-makers would generally be forced to purchase proprietary software. These days, however, they can choose between proprietary and open-source software. While proprietary products had enjoyed a stranglehold on the market, open source has taken measureable strides as of late, establishing itself as a viable substitute.
Both forms have benefits and drawbacks. So if there’s a theoretical battle between proprietary and open-source software, which one is winning? We’ll let you decide for yourself.
Proprietary Software
The proprietary software market certainly isn’t disappearing. When you purchase software from a reputable vendor, odds are you’re getting a quality product. Should something go wrong with that product, you’re able to hop on the phone and connect with that company’s customer service department in order to get things back on track. The companies that produce software for enterprise customers have their finger on the pulse of what the business world needs. Their products are designed specifically with those needs in mind.
On the other side of the coin, acquiring proprietary software for enterprise usage doesn’t come cheaply. Furthermore, once a company implements a proprietary solution, it becomes very dependent on the developer, because only that company’s programmers know how the software works. The business then must contact the proprietary software creator whenever problems arise, instead of turning elsewhere for help. Proprietary software is static due to the concealed coding, which can make it challenging to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the modern business environment.
Open-Source Software
Many companies turn to open-source software because it is created by a community of developers and costs substantially less – if anything – when compared to proprietary software. Because the software is developed by a community, whenever any bugs or security flaws are exploited, programmers quickly work to patch them up. Furthermore, the open software is designed to function with other open software, whereas proprietary software generally is designed to operate in a closed system. This makes open-source software flexible, quickly adapting to changing business needs.
But open source isn’t without its faults. Sure it is developed by a community of programmers. But just how good are they? Some critics wonder about the quality of the programmers working on the code. Because these programmers don’t work for a particular company, should a company have a problem with open-source software, there’s no one to air possible grievances to that is ultimately responsible for resolving them. Finally, open source isn’t designed specifically with enterprises in mind, so some critics argue it’s not well-suited for business needs.
In 2010, 75 percent of Global 2000 enterprises used open-source software in their mission-critical software portfolios. By 2016, that number is expected to rise to 99 percent. While both kinds of software certainly have their pros and cons, it appears as though open source continues to gain momentum. Is your company using open-source software? If so, what type of software? If not, what concerns are holding you back?