More and more there’s a common thread in people reaching out for help with databases.
Them: “We created this system and it needs to be updated, changed…”
Me: “What needs to be changed, and how is your system set up?”
Them: “We need to add X, Y and Z and I’m not sure how it really works, I sign on to the app and it uses the cloud…”
When I ask what that means – “uses the cloud” – the answer is all over the board, and often comes down to storing information there. Why? Because it’s easy. It’s inexpensive. It’s accessible. It’s something that the department was able to set up on the fly and get their application up and running.
Remember when departmental databases were the big issue in companies? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done webcasts or classes or consulting about pulling in the departmental systems and databases under the umbrella of the overall IT support infrastructure.
It’s back. And it’s not likely to go away.
Departments are taking care of their testing the waters for new applications, for new databases by setting up the quick database in the cloud and then using it to see how it works out. Of course the issue is one of protecting, controlling and managing those resources, making sure your company is covered and that intellectual property is cared for.
I think for quite some time now data professionals on the whole have probably seen this coming, but pushed back on it fairly hard.
Honestly though, I think this cat is out of the bag, and not working with it, not supporting it, and not planning for it, is short sighted and possibly downright dangerous to your company.
If you’re not working with departments that have set up their own databases (or customers or clients…) then you probably don’t know what you have “out there.” I think it’s time to find out and embrace it, but figure out how you can best support these system and help them succeed.
It’s a bit difficult to work with some of these though – many times they don’t even know what type of data systems they are using for the applications, just that they’re out there and working. There’s a good bit of discovery required, but it’s worth it overall, and critically important.