The dbWatch Blog

Monitoring databases in large,  distributed or hybrid environments

Monitoring database servers can in itself be a complex task. But what if you have a really complex environment, with multiple locations, restricted networks behind firewalls, high number of servers or a hybrid solution with some on-premise and some in a cloud? What are the issues, and how can you resolve them?

This year Bob’s job as a DBA has some challenging issues. His company is considering moving to the cloud, which has Bob worried about job security. The developers are interested in adopting Devops, to streamline their applications. Additionally, his boss wants more database security and decided that the system needs 24 x 7 maintenance. As if that’s not enough, there seems to be never ending demands for growth in services, solutions, data and the need for speed.

These days the majority of IT teams work to various performance goals. Whether your team is aiming for a specified amount of system uptime, trying to limit service disruptions, or shooting for a certain number of maintenance or security tasks completed monthly, keeping up with your goals can be tricky - especially if you aren’t using the right tools for the job.

Database technology and server architecture have come a very long way in a short time, and its growth and evolution show no signs of slowing. As the number of database instances operated by practically every business continues to expand at unprecedented rates, more and more organisations are looking to scalability to help their systems to adapt and expand in line with database growth.

We’ve spoken before on our blog about the importance of database scalability to modern businesses. Companies can quite easily be held back by rigid databases and server setups, leading to higher costs, difficulty with future business, and reduced scope for further growth.

If you work for a large or growing business, the chances are that its databases and associated server instances have grown rapidly in the last few years. As part of an explosion in data collection, online business, and the digitisation of how we all work, businesses are relying more than ever on their IT systems.

Databases and IT systems are the backbone of most businesses today - businesses of any size in any industry. From tracking transactions to hosting online services and storing business information, database servers are used for countless vital parts of companies, and business can grind to a halt if they’re not properly maintained and supported.

Database server scalability is a common practice in use by IT departments today to help them cope with ever-growing databases and server requirements.

As data requirements grow, the number of server instances in use by businesses explodes, and the importance of stable and reliable IT systems increase, it’s no longer possible for businesses to cope with rigid, non-scalable systems and tools.

With businesses today handling more data than ever before, the need for large and scalable databases is continuing to increase. Across practically every industry in every country, organisations and businesses are using databases and scalable server solutions to record customer details, transactions and stock levels, as well as to provide services to their own staff and their clients.