Whitepaper : The Real Benefits of Database Automation

Databases make up the most valuable components of an organization’s information technology (IT) infrastructure except for its human resources. The information contained in enterprise databases represents the intellectual capital and business intelligence that is essential for survival in the modern data-centric market. The importance of maintaining these information repositories cannot be overstated whether they are used internally or provide customer-facing services.

The significance of enterprise data assets continues to grow. And so too does the role of the database administrators and developers who are responsible for the systems’ availability and performance. Mission-critical applications rely on database back ends, and companies cannot afford to have them be unavailable or underperforming. The benefits of database automation help the support teams navigate the complexity of modern multi-platform environments. Database professionals can use all the help they can get to accomplish their jobs.

Many of the administrative tasks required to keep databases operating efficiently need to be performed regularly. While in some respects, these activities can become routine and mundane for the administrative team, they are nevertheless vital for the organization and the health of its databases. In some cases, a database administrator (DBA) spends the majority of their day on endeavors that are time-consuming and repetitive.

Database automation is the practice of employing processes and tools to lighten the burden on enterprise DBAs. Standardized and well-documented procedures lend themselves to being automated, as do many of the daily activities that run behind the scenes to keep these critical systems performing as expected. There are multiple benefits to database automation that impact individual administrators as well as the entire organization.

This whitepaper discusses:

• the benefits of database automation
• areas for potential database automation
• why not everything can or should be automated
• why DBAs should not fear automation

Presenter: Robert Agar

Robert Agar spent a long and diverse career specializing in data backup, recovery, and compliance among other areas of the IT world. Tired of being woken up at all hours to provide support, he embarked on a new career as a freelance writer focusing on various areas of the tech sector. Outside interests include music, sports, and poker. He shares his home office with two green-cheeked conures who suggest topics and engage in the occasional proofreading exercise.