Database servers should be a requirement, not an option, in your business environment. If you run an e-commerce or software development business, you should have database servers in your network infrastructure. These database servers hardware play essential roles because as your business grows, they can fulfill its needs.

Network database servers help to alleviate the strain on your network by processing complex information instead of your network transferring large amounts of data. Let’s face it. You and your employees will use applications that require lots of memory and processing power. You’ll also need a place to store that data. That’s where database servers play their role. You don’t have to worry about your computer being weighed down as it tries to process information. Database servers do all of the dirty work and they can benefit your business in the following ways:

1. Database servers can fulfill your application’s demands.
2. Database servers enhance your security.
3. Database servers improve performance.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure your network database servers can meet your application's needs

If you run enterprise applications, this is essential. Applications don't just need the capacity to store the information, but the RAM and processing power. Database servers must be able to address the application's requests. For example, if a module interacts with another module in that application, the computer database server has to process that information. Another challenge that the computer database server experiences is if one module in the application needs to pull and store information from another module. The application needs to have the right hardware; otherwise, this can cause bottlenecks.

I recommend: Check out Dell’s website for its database servers; you cannot go wrong if you decide to buy database servers from this company. Dell’s PowerEdge R900 meets the demands of enterprise applications that can be found in data centers. Look at IBM’s DB2 database servers because it's a leader in making database servers. In addition, you’ll want to check out its database management tools.

Improve your network performance with network database servers

This is one area you cannot overlook. Database servers can have powerful and fast processors and also large amounts of RAM (random access memory). As a result, network database servers can perform complex functions, including indexing, searching, and sorting than do regular servers or personal computers. These functions take place on the database server. Because these functions take place on the database server, your network traffic is significantly reduced.

I recommend: Go to Intel’s website for database server hardware. Intel uses four Xeon processors. Check out Hewlett Packard’s website on its ProLiant series. Like Intel’s servers, HP uses four Xeon processors in its servers. The ProLiant series are ideal for medium to large enterprise databases.

Provide your business with improved security through network database servers

Your data is centrally stored, which allows you to better manage it. One of the basic policies you'll need to implement is when your employee accesses the database server, he or she must enter the user name and password. Another great benefit to using network database servers is that they provide audit trails, which allow you to view database servers information. That way, you can view who accessed and what functions they performed on the network database server, including modifying information. Compare database servers for their security functions.

I recommend: Go to Oracle’s website, where its database server offers security solutions, including data encryption, auditing, and data masking. The database server also provides protection from insider threats. You’ll want to check out Sybase’s Advantage database server. The Advantage database has security and encryption features.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Not all database servers will fill your business needs. Compare database servers. Then buy database servers that will work in your business environment.