Database And How Much Does A Database Cost?

There are several ways to build database. In computing, relational databases are very common, but there are also so-called document databases. These are based, to store information, on a simple table structure and documents.

Some SMEs store data in plain text file systems (such as Excel). However, when they start to grow they perceive that this system contains redundant and duplicate data, it is not very secure  and it is difficult to access externally. So, companies consider storing the information in a database. Many Companies handle a lot of data, be it financial, personal, inventory, among others. 

That is why it is advisable to have them in an orderly format and with access levels so that they can be found and consulted only by those authorized. 

What Is A Database?

Database is a tool that collects data, organizes it and relates it so that it can be quickly searched and retrieved using a computer. Nowadays, databases are also used to develop analyzes. Most modern databases have specific engines for reporting complex data.

Database is not only the file where data is located, but in said file is the structure of the data, that is, to know how long each field is, you have to know what the field is called and what length in characters it has, as well as the type of data in said field, because it can contain from letters to numbers or even other more complex data, depending on the structure of the database and the managing system.

When a company has a database and wants to implement software , it has to be careful depending on the software it installs. When an ERP or document management system is implemented , they will have a better connection with those databases that have the same native language. 

However, when the software is e-commerce , for example, it is more complicated . This is because there is no direct connection between e-commerce and the database, but an intermediate layer is needed to connect both parts. In addition, it is important to know that there are several types of database : relational; the distributed; NoSQL; object oriented; and, graphs. The existence of these various databases is due to the variety of work methods required of them.

How Much Does It Cost?

While assessing the price of a database, you have to weigh why it is acquired. When new software is to be purchased, the vendor itself usually offers the database service included in the total cost of the software.

 This payment can be made both for payment per use ( SaaS , Software as a Service ) and total. In the event that the company already had its own server and would like to have it owned and not “rented” from the supplier, it should speak to the direct manufacturers . This is because many vendors cannot offer the database independently of the software. In addition, the price of the database depends on multiple factors , from the type of database that is needed, to whether it has to have a custom development to the company with which it is contracted.

1GB is a very low amount for a business . You also have to take into account the DWU ( Data Warehouse Unit ) or Data Storage Unit. The DWU is an abstract and standard measure of process and performance resources.

 Other influencing factors are: whether e-mail or HTTPS notifications are required, storage streaming, number of instances, among other functionalities and necessary quantities not included in the basic price of a standard database. The following image shows an example of a 1 tera Azure SQL Database price calculation: