Databases are meant to store valuable information for enterprise applications and web applications to function effectively. Ranging from customer info to product catalogs and repositories, a wide range of data in varying formats are stored in these databases. For Pros and Cons any information to store securely and easily accessible, effective database management systems are essential. DBMS or database management systems may help the users sort information effectively and make use of the same for analytical purposes. You can get instant on-the-go reports and trends based on the information databases.

In this post, we are trying to explore some of the most popular and an effective database available in 2021 and each’s pros and cons. Before that, let us explore some essential features you should always look for in a standard database.

What to consider in a database?

Even though all database systems perform the necessary tasks to enable the users to create and access info in the database; however, how they accomplish these tasks may vary. The additional features, functions, and support associated with each database management system can differ vastly.

While comparing different top databases, you must consider how effective and user-friendly the databases are at the first point. The primary need for any modern-day database is scalability. Additionally, you may also want to consider the cost involved in the databases’ maintenance and management, too, and the available support to upkeeping the same over time.

The database management systems also should be able to grow as the organization grows. Even the small business enterprises may not want to limit the features even when they have very small data to handle. Small organizations’ requirements may grow over time substantially, and switching to another database system at that point may be a hassle. So, you need to consider your future requirements too while choosing a database at the first point.

There are plenty of database systems available in the market now. There are both open-source freeware and also paid DBMS. To help you decide which DBMS is right for your organization, go through the list below to understand each’s pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of 3 databases

1. Oracle 12c

No surprise that Oracle continues to be on top of the list of the best available databases. The initial version of these databases came up in the 70s itself, and then many newer editions came out to meet the organization’s changing needs.

The latest version of Oracle is 12c, which is meant for the cloud and can also be hosted on a single server or multiple servers. It also enables the management of massive databases that hold billions of files and records. The latest version of Oracle also includes a grid framework that can use both logical and physical structures. With this, the physical data management will not have any impact on accessing the logical structures. The security of Oracle is also top-notch, as each transaction is happening in isolation. To ensure the security of your enterprise database implementation, explore the services offered by RemoteDBA.

Pros of Oracle 12c

• You can find many latest features in it as oracle tends to set their bar up high for the third-party DBMS tools.
• All Oracle DBMS tools are very robust, and you can find them doing just anything you can probably think of in terms of database administration.

Cons of Oracle 12c

• The cost of this database can be prohibitive to smaller organizations sometimes.
• The system may require a significant number of resources, so it may frequently need hardware upgrades, which may also incur add-on costs.

The verdict is that the Oracle 12c is ideal for the larger organizations that handle an enormous amount of data and needs various and tools for the administration of the same.

2. MySQL

It is one of the oldest and mightiest relational databases for web-based applications. It comes as freeware but is updated with more patches for security improvement and features to meet the changing needs. There are some paid additions also of this database to be used for commercial purposes.

With the freeware, there is a higher focus on MySQL’s speed, performance, and reliability than including more features into it. This can be good or bad, based on what you are trying to achieve. This DBMS engine will let you choose from a wide range of storage engines, enabling you to change its features and functionality and allow it to handle data from various types of tables.

Pros of MySQL

• It is freeware, so you can use and customize it for your purpose without any cost.
• IF can offer various functionality even on being provided for free.
• There are many user interfaces to be implemented for MySQL.
• This can also work in combination with other databases like DB2, Oracle, etc.

Cons of MySQL

• You may have to spend a significant amount of time customizing MySQL to make it do things that the other databases may do in an automated way, like creating the incremental backups, etc.
• No built-in XML or OLAP support
• You need to pay for it if support is available for the free version.

The verdict is that MySQL is ideal for the organization, which demands a robust database tool at a budget.

3. MS SQL Server

Similar to the other popular databases available in this sector, many editions of Microsoft SQL servers are made available. This database management engine may work well on cloud-based servers and also on the local servers. It can be effectively set up to work on both of these at the same time. The reassuring fact is that Microsoft made it available on Linux, too, along with Windowsplatforms.

One of the shoutout features of MS SQL is temporal data support. This feature makes it possible for the users to the changes made to the database over time.The latest Microsoft SQL Server version also lets the features of dynamic data masking ensure that only the authorized individuals may see the sensitive data.

Pros of MS SQL

• Fast and stable
• Ability to track and adjust performance levels
• Visualizations of data made available on mobile devices

Cons of MS SQL

• Pricing may be high for small organizations.
• Some issues using SQL Server Integration Services for rile import.

The verdict is that MS SQL is ideal for large organizations that use many other Microsoft products.

Along with these three, you also have the option to consider many more databases too as PostgreSQL (RDBMS), MongoDB (NoSQL), MariaDB (NoSQL), DB2 (relational), SAP HANA, etc.