What Are the Main Factors to Consider in Budgeting for an Enterprise-Wide Database System?

What are the main factors to consider in budgeting for an enterprise-wide database system?

An enterprise-wide database system as known as a distributed database contains advantages and disadvantages. Careful planning and consideration must be taken when looking to implement a distributed database. A DDBMS allows you to disperse your database across multiple geographical locations. This brings the processing power closer to the local region. Many companies in the 70's utilized a centralized model where the database was located on a single system. End users had a direct connection to the system where the processing was done locally. Remote locations connected through serial connections and used dumb terminals or emulations applications on the PC's to connect to the main host. As PCs and Windows servers grew in popularity end-users demanded and required faster access to data and the ability to produce ad-hoc reports. This forced the model to move from a centralize to a decentralize environment. In the decentralize model servers and databases were locally housed and data was replicated or synced with the main database located elsewhere. This gave corporations the ability to move operations to multiple locations, closer to customers and lower operating cost in certain countries. The decentralize model contained many benefits. The speed of applications became faster for the end-user. The ability to access data quicker and the production of ad-hoc reports resulted from local processing. A DDMS also reduces your single point of failure. In a distributed system the user can access replicated databases from any region. If one should fail the user can access a backup system from another geographical location. While the benefit looks good one must consider the disadvantages as well. The DDBMS model introduces another level of complexity which increases operating cost. Keeping the data properly synchronized is another concern. If the system is not configured correctly data could be lost when information is replicated. As the database grows geographically issues of security must be addressed as well. You will need to know and control areas of access and monitor changes from multiple areas. This increases the support cost and forces the IT staff to increase its knowledge of support.