Open Source PostgreSQL Offers Boon to Business

Data must be usable to be valuable, and ‘being usable’ also means being accessible when needed. That simple statement is the reason why database management is such a critical element to corporate success these days. Companies must be able to access and use the vast quantities of data flowing in across their enterprise on a daily basis or risk falling behind their competition. For that reason, many are migrating their database management system (DBMS) to open-source PostgreSQL.

Why Change your DBMS?

Any alterations to existing digital systems present logistical and financial challenges so making such a change should offer significant benefits over what’s being left behind. Such is the case with PostgreSQL. During its ongoing 30+ year development process, the program has become known for its reliability, data integrity, security, proven architecture and, not insignificantly, its dedicated open source developer community committed to delivering high-quality performance in every instance.

The Values Embedded in Open-source Programming

Its Developers

As the global volume of data continues to grow exponentially, so does the number of challenges it poses to those trying to master or control it. At the heart of the data explosion are the private developers, hard at work devising new and creative ways to solve sometimes intractable digital problems. Rather than limit themselves to a single system within which to work, they work across a variety of programming standards and code and recode those to achieve their particular goal of the moment. It is this corps of dedicated open-source programmers that provides the power and potential behind the PostgreSQL DBMS by constantly developing its innovations that respond to emerging technologies.

Its Cost

Free is only a great price if it’s accompanied by value; as open-source software, PostgreSQL is free to use, so there’s no upfront licensing capital needed to migrate existing programming to its DBMS. It’s also free to customize as your company requires, another great cost saver. Finally, PostgreSQL requires very little maintenance because it’s so stable, so it won’t drive up operating costs over time.

Its Flexibility

Because it grew from the efforts of a community of developers, the PostgreSQL provides a variety of data management features not offered by or readily available from proprietary DBMS vendors:

• As an object-relatable DBMS, it allows you to customize and even add new functions using a variety of programming languages, including C/C++ and Java.
• It’s extensible, meaning your organization can define its own data and index types and functional languages, as well as add customized plug-ins to meet your proprietary needs.
• It provides you with the control you want over your data and how you use it. Unlike a commercial DBMS vendor, the PostgreSQL community has no proprietary interest in how you use the software. You are free to customize its base programming in a way that suits your specific enterprise, so even though it’s free and used by many, it can generate for you the singular and unique organization you’ve wanted but didn’t have the tools to create.

 
Consequently, the value offered by PostgreSQL is enormous. It’s designed to run on UNIX-like platforms, so it works with almost any operating system. It’s also portable, so it also runs on portable platforms such as Solaris, Windows, and Mac OS X. With PostgreSQL, you can respond quickly to current industry and customer demands or develop new programming to build and grow your business, or both, all for a fraction of the cost of a commercially supplied DBMS.

Not every business case is appropriate for migration to PostgreSQL; many existing systems that currently rely on DBMS vendors such as SQL Server, Oracle, Db2, etc. are well-placed and optimized by that deployment. However, if your organization is looking for more flexibility and control while also to save money while managing its data, PostgreSQL may be the DBMS for you.