Should Your App Developers Consider DBaaS?

3 min read
Aug 23, 2017

DBaaS stands for Database as a Service. This is a cloud-based service model that allows developers, IT departments, and other tech workers to get access to databases without having to build and house the infrastructure in-house. Many thriving and successful business owners use this approach to save time and money. The database is essentially leased, usually on a month-to-month basis and replaces legacy data management systems within the business. How can DBaaS be a benefit to app developers?

DBaaS Empowers App Developers to Collect, Store, and Analyze More Data

If you intend to use the app for data collection for marketing, research, or to provide a greater functionality, then a DBaaS will allow you to collect, store, and analyze lots more data for lots less money. Any successful business requires effective budget spending and so DBaaS is a great candidate for cost-saving efforts.

On premises databases (DB) are extraordinarily expensive and require database management on a regular basis. Building a DB requires the purchase, operation, and maintenance of both hardware and software. The more users you acquire and the more data you collect from their mobile devices, the larger you have to build your DB infrastructure. DBaaS allows you to scale upwards as you acquire users, and to collect more data per user, for far less cost, time, effort, and IT labor.

DBaaS Allows Developers to Build Lighter-Weight Apps

For a development company who is developing a mobile app, one important consideration is what data gets stored natively on the device versus what data is transferred and stored on the ‘back end’ or back at the DB. With DBaaS, you can store more outside the users’ mobile devices, which means your developers can produce a lightweight app that doesn’t hog processing power, battery life, and other precious device resources.

DBaaS Gives Developers a Means to Improve the Functionality of Apps

When you can build a larger DB at the back end, you can deliver more functionality to your apps. This allows developers to add nifty new features that will wow your users and outdo your competitors. DBaaS lets you beef up your apps without bloating the development budget.

DBaaS Lessens the Security Worries of Today’s Developers

Security is difficult, time-consuming, expensive, and risky. DBaaS usually allows you to shift much of this responsibility to your vendor. 

DBaaS stands for Database as a Service.Click To Tweet

If you’ve done much research on developing apps, you’ve probably learned just how difficult and important security is. Securing the data within the app, securing the data upon transfer to and from your DB, and securing the data once it is in the DB — all of this means constant monitoring, traffic analysis, high-level encryption, and immediate response when a potential breach is detected. This is expensive and not at all easy! Most DBaaS vendors include security and monitoring as part of their SLA (Service Level Agreement). This takes a tremendous amount of pressure off your own company. Just read the SLA before signing with any vendor to make sure security is part of the contract.

DBaaS Can Speed Application Development

Building a DB is one of the costliest and most time-consuming parts of developing an app. With DBaaS, you can cut weeks, perhaps months, off of the development process, depending on exactly what kind of mobile app you’re building. Apps are ready for market in a fraction of the time.

DBaaS is Able to Handle Unstructured Data

Much of the data your teams (sales, marketing, R&D, etc.) will want to collect via your mobile app isn’t going to be precise, neat structured data that fits nicely within a relational DB. It’s going to be lots of unstructured data, which requires a different type of database, such as NoSQL. It isn’t nearly as easy to find DB programmers and administrators who can run this type of DB. Turning to DBaaS gives you access to IT skills that you might not be able to find or afford for hiring in house.

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