Making sense of database complexity
IT leaders are grappling with increasingly complex database environments. According to a new survey from Redgate, key concerns include protecting sensitive data, navigating regulatory compliance, and managing the rise of multi-database platforms.
38% of IT teams are concerned about data security and access controls when managing different technologies, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Despite their advantages, 21% say they won’t adopt more than one database type simply because they’re concerned about security and compliance issues.
Dealing with database complexity
Driven by the need for flexibility, cost-savings, and serving different use cases, 74% of IT teams now use two or more database platforms, with 25% of respondents using more than four database platforms. However, the complexity of the managed systems highlights the need for database management strategies to ensure data consistency, security, and compliance.
The research uncovered the top four most popular databases that organizations have introduced over the past two years: the open-source platforms PostgreSQL and MySQL, the non-relational database MongoDB, and cloud-based data platform Snowflake.
The proliferation of database types and continued pressure to deliver apps and services at speed means testing is a core component of database management processes. 71% of organizations use manual methods to create test data, which is time-consuming and a high-risk strategy. IT leaders are aware of the challenges this makes on a personal level, with 25% concerned about the pressure that managing test data puts on their teams.
Despite these security and multi-platform database challenges, the good news is that organizations have a growing awareness of data security measures, with implementation of secure practices increasing across industries. Only 14% of organizations have no approach for handling sensitive data, a substantial decrease from 35% in 2023.
Ongoing skills gap
44% of data professionals would like professional development opportunities to be provided weekly or monthly, but 67% cite lack of time as the main barrier to participating in training. Organizations need to prioritize professional development and recognize that the skills gap is a challenge. The ultimate goal of data protection and delivering for the business is to ensure the right people are in place to manage data securely and compliantly in an increasingly complex and diverse technology estate.
Security concerns continue to influence business practices as organizations weigh up the benefits of AI adoption. While 69% plan on adopting AI capabilities in the next two years, concerns about the usage of AI in database management have risen sharply, with 61% of respondents citing data security and privacy as a key concern, up from 41% in 2023.