How to improve the cost, performance and value of the database
Databases are one of the basic components of business IT, but many organizations can struggle to manage databases effectively. Underoptimized databases can be serious time synchronization, incur unnecessary costs, and distract IT teams from other important tasks.
Fortunately for Database Administrators (DBAs), there are various tips and techniques that can be used to improve and speed up database management and create more efficient and profitable systems. Here are our top tips.
Automate administrative tasks
DBA tasks cover a wide range of tasks, from backup and restore tasks to storage management and configuration, many of which are very poor and repetitive. This allows for automation. By automating these simple tasks, DBAs can free up their days for more rewarding, interesting and innovative activities that make better use of their precious time.
There are many options for automating database management tasks. Many DBAs choose to build their own custom tools tailored to their specific needs, but they can also rely on automation tools that database management software vendors have built right into their products. . Whichever method you choose, automating database management elements not only saves you time and money, but also reduces recovery time in the event of a failure.
Deploy containers and virtual machines
Virtualization and multi-tenant architecture are not new to the world of enterprise computing and software development, but they have significant advantages for database management. If you are running your databases on a single tenant server, porting them to a virtual machine can save you a lot of money. As a starting point, this allows you to host multiple databases on the same infrastructure, reducing your licensing and hardware investment costs. It also gives you more flexibility in porting, duplicating, and modifying your database, but it can also make it difficult to scale vertically.
If you need more portability, we recommend that you consider containerizing your database. It works well as part of the DevOps environment and integrates well with CI / CD pipelines and multi-cloud architectures. The lightness of the container means that it can run in large numbers on a single server. Containers also contribute to high levels of automation which can have significant cost and efficiency benefits (as explained above).
Optimize SQL queries
Not all database queries are created the same. In fact, inefficient or poorly structured SQL queries often take a long time to execute, and when executed in a live production database, they can cause errors and shut down other database users. of data. Database operators can speed up operations and improve long-term database health and performance by spending a little more effort to refine the first query.
For example, if you select a field as part of a query, you can use SELECT * to quickly select all records, or SELECT DISTINCT to identify unique results. However, if you are using a large database, it may result in unnecessary processing. Instead, think about the results you’re looking for and structure your query around those specific fields to reduce the processing power required to run. Likewise, using inner joins instead of Cartesian joins created using the WHERE clause can significantly reduce the amount of work that the system does.
Manage database growth
One of the main factors affecting both the performance and the speed of the database is the size of the database. The larger it is, the longer it will take to find and deliver the query results. Size also affects the cost of cloud-hosted database processes and transactions, or the pace of hardware upgrades for on-premises systems.
The best way to prevent your database from growing at an unsustainable rate is to configure your schema and validation rules to contain only the data necessary for that operation. Saving a large number of rarely or partially used records can increase the cost and time to complete queries.
Discard old or unnecessary data
Streamlining your database is an important part of keeping your database efficient and profitable. However, even if you limit database entry to the minimum number of fields required, the size of the database will inevitably increase over time. If you find your database to be a bit tricky, it may be worth checking if you can streamline your database by removing old entries that no longer need to exist in your database.
The details of which records can be safely deleted and when they are specific depend on the particular purpose of the database, but having a clear data deletion policy can help keep its size manageable. . Another added benefit is that it will prevent the query from returning too many irrelevant unwanted results and can also help with GDPR compliance for databases with personal information. .. Large tables can also be partitioned so that they do not get too large. The index should be monitored to ensure that it is still being used. You can delete anything that has not been deleted to free up additional space.
Time the query
Databases have many advantages. For example, many databases can be used by different applications and users for different purposes, and many can be used for multiple purposes. Still, you need to think about the impact of queries on the performance of the rest of your business. For example, if you are running a large and complex query that requires a lot of processing power, it can slow down other applications and queries.
Are you planning to run a particularly heavy query? It can be helpful to consider whether you are time sensitive as if it is not urgent. It can be interesting to organize to operate during off-peak hours, when there is probably less activity in the database. This reduces the impact on database efficiency and minimizes downtime.
Perform regular audits
The tips above are a great starting point for improving your database. However, you need to keep an eye on them and make sure they are fully serviced. To keep your database in top condition, be sure to schedule regular audits of validation rules, data deletion policies, schemas, usage patterns, and more. This ensures that all match the needs of your organization and that your database is working.
Spending time on this kind of task may not seem like a priority if you have a lot of other tasks to do, but regular maintenance of your database can be beneficial in the long run. Can be obtained. Save on operating costs, speed up performance, reduce errors, and more.
© Dennis Publishing
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