The Best Relational Database Cloud Solutions for 2024

For small and medium businesses, database solutions have become something of a necessity in the last ten years, and those that haven’t already made the migration to cloud are probably in the process of doing so.

The main considerations to make before migrating will most likely be scalability and security. Scalability because business owners mostly hope their business will be quick to grow, so cloud solutions will need to provide for this possibility.

Security because it is important to small enterprises that don’t have the capital to invest in private cloud or security solutions of their own, and so prefer to hand over the responsibility to an established tech giant. Here are some of the most popular database cloud solutions and the services they provide.

Microsoft Azure

The first option from Microsoft is Azure SQL Database, which offers database as a service (DBaaS), while also providing infrastructure as a service (IaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS). Services on Azure can be used purely on cloud, or alternatively integrated into any existing infrastructure.

They are easy to set up, they come with an online portal, and they also offer SQL tools and applications for creating databases. Azure SQL Database is dynamic and scalable and is completely managed by Microsoft.

Those looking for an Introduction to Microsoft Azure SQL Server, will find a different service to SQL Database from the same provider, and one that comes at a more affordable price.

This is a pay-as-you-go service that can be used as and when you need it, and this makes it a good option for businesses looking to migrate an on-site SQL server to a cloud environment. Compared to Azure’s SQL Database, SQL Server allows a lot more control and the ability to customize.

Oracle

Oracle Cloud Database is a mixture of technology from Oracle and open-source technology, which offers users the chance to manage and integrate their own platform applications.

The database as a service includes elastic database services for application development, test and production deployment, and it can support organizations of all sizes. The ‘on-capacity demand’ function enables users to increase their usage as they grown in scale, so this is especially useful for new businesses.

This database solution comes with a web console user interface that’s easy to use and allows for everything to be managed on the same platform. Oracles provides users with the ability to control the service themselves with added automation options.

As an alternative, you can choose Oracle to manage everything for you, which can save time on the more repetitive tasks. The Oracle Cloud Database service is especially good for speed, durability, elasticity, security and low maintenance.

Amazon RDS

The relational database service from AWS is a DBaaS that’s well-suited to data specialists, such as data administrators, data scientists or developers. Assistance is required for the set-up process which is quite technically involving. Databases can be customized by the user, and a range of different formats can be used.

These include PostgreSQL, MySQL, Maria DB, Oracle Database and SQL Server. The service is highly durable and aimed at high performance and concurrent users, but also offers the chance to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, such as hardware provisioning and backups.

SAP Cloud Platform

The SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) is a PaaS solution that creates new applications in the cloud environment. It uses the SAP HANA relational database management system that was developed by SAP.

It joins systems on the premises with cloud-based systems that use SAP or certain other open-source software. SCP is based on open-source technology and offers flexibility and control to developers.

The SAP platform is aimed at organizations with large amounts of data, and is relatively easy to set up and use. Users are able to choose from two different payment models, subscription based or consumption based, which may be more convenient for less frequent users.

Also Read: Best Cloud Monitoring & Performance Management Software

MariaDB

MariaDB is an open-source relational database management system that’s compatible with MySQL, and was created by the original developers of MySQL, which means there are similarities and familiarity for users of MySQL. The developers worked towards the compatibility of MariaDB and MySQL so that the two systems can be used interchangeably, though there remain some incompatibilities.

As a database server, MariaDB is fast and scalable and it comes with a range of plugins, storage engines and other database tools that make it suitable for a wide range of uses. It is also resilient to server failure, so offers some peace of mind concerning this possibility.

Rackspace

The services from Rackspace Cloud include web application hosting, PaaS and various other cloud services, such as email hosting. Rackspace provide public and private hosting, as well as hybrid hosting. They also offer free server monitoring, security guidance, 24/7 customer support, and a mobile app.

The company has long been influential in the world of cloud computing, and have worked with NASA along with other giants.

By all accounts, when it comes to cloud technology Rackspace have expertise and offer a wide range of services, but with a lower number of data centers (six worldwide) the company is slightly behind its competitors so speeds may be slightly slower.

Users of the public cloud service can choose from managed infrastructure level and managed operations level. The first option is more affordable but users will need to configure and manage everything themselves. With managed operations Rackspace will help with the architecture, building and configuration.

When it comes to cloud services there are many different options to choose from, usually from one of the tech giants or a smaller subsidiary.

However, once you have settled on a cloud provider and installed the right cloud service, the benefits in time-saving and efficiency will be quickly appreciated.