What is a database server and why would your small business need one? Well, if your business tracks customer information in a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, stores transactional data or analyzes marketing data, chances are some sort of database is being used to store and access that information. Other common programs that use databases include accounting and financial software and Microsoft SharePoint.
The nature of databases is to store data, so their storage size typically never decreases but always increases. When considering a database server for your business, you should plan for the future by purchasing plenty of additional storage space beyond your current needs–depending on your specific needs, a good rule of thumb is to plan for double the space every two years.
That may seem like a lot, but think about the increase in customer, marketing and financial data you’ll have in two years time compared to now. If you plan for your business to grow, your databases will grow too.
Often, larger databases suffer from lackluster performance if not maintained properly. This is due to the increase in data that needs to be parsed and organized with each client query. Performance is further impacted by multiple users performing multiple queries on larger datasets.
When your database suffers from performance issues, it slows down your entire business, and the last thing you want is your business to grind to a halt because of IT problems. Oftentimes, this performance slowdown is offset by running large queries during non-peak hours and caching the results for later use. While this approach often clears up performance bottlenecks, it doesn’t allow for live results–your company is working from the cached results that were generated the night before.
When looking for a database server for your company, it’s important to consider the right hardware that can support your users and database size–not only for today but for years down the road. OAC Technology, a Minneapolis-based IT company, has been helping small- to medium-sized business manage their IT environment for over a decade, and we can help you assess your company’s database server needs. Contact us today for a free consultation.
