What is a Cloud Database?
A cloud database is a collection of Data, either structured or unstructured, that resides on a private, public or hybrid cloud computing infrastructure platform. From a structural and design perspective, a Cloud Database is no different than one that operates on a business’s own On-Premise servers. The critical difference lies in where the Database resides and its accessibility.
A traditional On-Premise Database is accessed through the Local Area Network (LAN) of a company, while a Cloud Database is accessible only through the internet.
Benefits of a Cloud database
There are many benefits of running your database in the cloud. The key advantages of running your database in the cloud are:
- Elimination of Physical Infrastructure → Storage and hardware are provided by the Cloud Provider
- Reduction of Overhead costs → Patches, Updates and Maintenance are outsourced to the vendor
- Scalability and agility → Scale your database and applications as needed on the fly
- Reduction of downtime → Downtime is greatly reduced through multiple regions, availability zones and data centers in the cloud
- Improved security in the Cloud → The primary responsibility for security in the Cloud rests with the Vendor.
Cloud Database Management System (CDBMS) – So what is it all about?
A Cloud Database Management System can be defined as a distributed database that allows us delivery of computing as a service instead of product and sharing of resources as well as software between multiple devices over a network. A Cloud Database System is always accessed over the Internet and it is hosted by a third-party service provider on a remote server. Simply put CDBMS is a software package which can be used to create and manage a database.
As of May 2022 there are 394 different DBMS to choose from when migrating a database to Cloud.
All Cloud Database Management Systems boast of some common features. Some of these Features are:
- Elasticity
- Scalability
- High availability
- Easy data distribution
- Redundancy
- Data type support
- Manageability
- Cost & Overhead Reduction
In conclusion, Cloud databases offer numerous benefits compared to On-Prem databases, but there are some limitations. One of them is the Regulatory Compliance, which is a cog in the wheel, when it comes to taking full advantage of cloud services. In some countries like Switzerland, due to privacy laws, certain data cannot be transferred or stored outside the borders. The cloud provider will be required to find a customized solution for that country. This increases the cost of the Cloud solution thereby limiting the benefit of all cloud services, that would have been otherwise available.
In addition to the regulatory issues, flexibility could be an issue in the case of unmanaged Database service.
Weiterführende Links zum Thema:
https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/cloud-database-management-systems
https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/tip/The-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-cloud-based-data-management-systems
https://tech.co/news/math-can-business-benefit-cloud-database-2015-08
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_database
https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/cloud-database
https://www.computerweekly.com/de/definition/Cloud-Datenbank
https://db-engines.com/en/ranking
