Open Source Daabase Managment Systems
...(DBMS) in no way guarantees that managers will properly utilize the data to provide the best solutions for an organization. A DBMS is simply a tool for managing data and desired results will only be attained when it is used effectively. Implementation of a DBMS will most likely have a profound impact throughout an organization and the selection process has three major considerations; technological, managerial, and cultural (Rob & Coronel, 2004 pp. 714-715).
Technological consideration includes selecting, configuring, implementing and maintaining the DBMS to make certain that data storage, access, and security are efficiently handled (Rob & Coronel, 2004 pp. 714-715). When introducing a DBMS, the managerial impact should not be taken lightly since the organizational structure must accommodate the individuals responsible for administering the DBMS. Mangers must be committed to the system and be willing to support the functions and goals. Cultural impact is sometimes overlooked and needs to be assessed very carefully. Many times corporations do not place enough weight on the impact a new DBMS will have on staff and interrelationships. Not only will there be a more controlled environment, but the mere existence of a DBMS may require additional personnel and new job responsibilities.
While large enterprises require complex database systems which support terabytes of data, thousands of users, and require a highly trained support staff, most businesses have more modest needs. The main players in the RDBMS arena are IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft and most organizations have implemented one or more instances of these three major vendor’s products.
Changing RDBMS vendors is not a simple task because the features and syntax of each product differ, requiring costly and time-consuming application changes. However, open source DBMSs have now reached a high level...
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