Coping with Database Diversity

he fact of life for most database administrators is that they are usually managing not only multiple types of databases, but multiple versions of those databases.

A new study of 1,200 IT managers conducted by Embarcadero Technologies finds that while more of them are running Microsoft SQL Server than Oracle databases, the majority spend a lot more of their time working on Oracle databases. That would suggest that while Microsoft SQL Server has successfully proliferated across the enterprise on the back of Windows Server applications, Oracle databases are still the primary production database environment.

As the numbers and types of databases have proliferated, the number of database administrators has held relatively steady. Scott Walz, senior director of product management for database products at Embarcadero, says the survey shows that this changing dynamic is driving increased interest in automation among the ranks of harried database administrators.

Despite all the hype surrounding open source databases, one of the more surprising revelations of the survey is the relatively minor presence of MySQL in enterprise environments.

But as cost pressures continue to mount alongside the volume of data to be managed, Walz said we’re likely to see more diversity in database formats in the enterprise.

Click through for results from a database survey by Embarcadero.

Tough to keep up with the database housekeeping.

Production issues and poor code top the list.

A fair number are.

Microsoft edges out Oracle.

Microsoft continues to hold a slight edge.

Oracle still holds a commanding lead here.

Most work with two or more.

The vast majority are.

Half are running three or more versions.

This is a common challenge.

A little more than half have over three.

Most clearly do not.

Cross-platform leads the pack.