

Big IT and "new-age" databases - biroran

Can big IT (enterprise IT - let's say 100K PCs and upwards) be convinced to deploy "non-standard" databases - not Oracle or MSSQL (or even mySql or PostgresSql) - but mongoDB and voltDB and neo4j? What hurdles are there to overcome and how one is to do that?<p>Would also love to hear success (or failure) stories and see blogs and articles  - not from the DB vendors though, I take that as marketing material, not facts.
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Zenst
It gets down to a few factors:

1) Support - Can you get support from the dB supplier, can you get support
contracts. Companys will go wikiwakeywoo dB if it has support contracts to
back it. 2) Scalability - will it scale for the future. 3) Portability - can
we change hardware or are we going to be locked in 4) Cost comparision to the
prefered dB, is it competative factoring in all potentual issues/costs. Think
banks that outsource and then mess up for a week, those kind of things. 5)
Reliability, does it dance the 5 9's that managers understand and not alot
else 6) Development cost compared to prefered dB

Best way is to fistly get all your database interactions done via a wrapper,
then you are in a better position to change your backend database.

It's a uphill battle and you also have to ask, what is in it for you beyond a
good geek-out. Will you gain from this fiscialy as well as the company and if
not then you need to think about things like workbombing yourself and
stictiching yourself up for a thanks if you suceed and a roasting upto
dismissal if you fail.

Change is good, but make sure your being compensated for it or you are doing
yourself no favours sadly in the coporate world :(.

But getting all dB interactions done via a wrapper would be a good start for
many things and in itself very useful.

Good luck, you will need it sadly enough.

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kcmarshall
One key factor for business adoption of new technology is the availability of
technologists with skills. If I can't find (many) developers and
administrators who can install and maintain a noSQL server or developers who
know what to do with it, I won't let it in my shop.

Anybody with a little experience in corporate IS/IT has probably encountered
that app created by a developer who wanted to use the new shiny tech, did a
half-ass job and then left the company. All the other devs hide when the app
needs to be maintained or updated.

Managers also like to see formal training courses for new technologies to help
less inquisitive and innovative developers get up to speed.

I think NoSQL databases are great new tools and I hope they make their way
inside corporate firewalls. The broader supporting ecosystem will need to
exist to support them though.

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spitfire
Yes. Easily.

Show that this non-sql database will drive profit or lower costs for the
business. Done.

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biroran
This is based on experience? Please share.

