The Costs of Multiple Platforms

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Costs of Multiple Platforms

  • A friend got a job and found that the answer to "What DB platforms are you using?  SQL Server, PostGres, Oracle, DB/2, RedShift, MySQL, BigQuery, Snowflake?" was Yes.  In other words, they were using all of them, and no one had a clear idea why, or even what they were used for.

    To my mind

    • Few systems = pools of expertise, pockets of ignorance
    • Many systems = pockets of expertise, pools of ignorance

    I'm in a role where my team manages a data platform for a client from ingestion to the BI tool of choice.  On both sides, we have put a great deal of thought into what needs to be supported, by whom, and to what extent.  Rebalancing responsibilities gives the client more flexibility and speed in some areas and lets us focus on what adds value for the client in others.  If anything, this approach has improved the relationship with the client, not diluted it.

  • This is great:

    Few systems = pools of expertise, pockets of ignorance

    Many systems = pockets of expertise, pools of ignorance

  • WOW, Steve, I didn't realize that the world is moving in a direction like this. I trust you when you say people (companies) are adopting multiple database platforms that is more than 3 at a time in one software solution. It isn't my experience and it certainly isn't what we do where I work, but I appreciate knowing this. I'll have to work on changing my mind and thought processes.

    Rod

  • Doctor Who 2 wrote:

    WOW, Steve, I didn't realize that the world is moving in a direction like this. I trust you when you say people (companies) are adopting multiple database platforms that is more than 3 at a time in one software solution. It isn't my experience and it certainly isn't what we do where I work, but I appreciate knowing this. I'll have to work on changing my mind and thought processes.

    It's not unusual to find a website that has MongoDB, REDIS, and Elasticsearch (I know it has been rebranded and is a search engine).  I'd say that there might be MySQL/Postgres sitting alongside MongoDB under the guise of ongoing migration.  From experience, I know that deprecating a DB platform takes longer than expected. I've even seen a DB platform on the deprecation list survive long enough to see almost total employee turnover.  My youngest wasn't born when the deprecation started.  He was nearly 15 before it finished.

  • Thats amazing, David.

    Rod

  • Doctor Who 2 wrote:

    WOW, Steve, I didn't realize that the world is moving in a direction like this. I trust you when you say people (companies) are adopting multiple database platforms that is more than 3 at a time in one software solution. It isn't my experience and it certainly isn't what we do where I work, but I appreciate knowing this. I'll have to work on changing my mind and thought processes.

    It's in two ways. some companes have lots of platforms, but an app might use only one. So a web app on SQL Server, or an ERP with Oracle.

    Others use multiple database platforms in an app, whcih might be different sections in the app or even a micro/mini services architecture where a service uses a platform. I know of a customer where they have:

    • sql server - main OLTP db, most of the web app connects here, I think there are actually 2 dbs here
    • elasticsearch - accessed by search functions in the web app, data updated by backend process from MSSQl->ES
    • postgresql - added new functionality in the app, decided to store it in a new db
    • redis - high level caching. Some data checked in redis, read from MSSQL if invalid and stored back in redis for speed. Updates there with a periodic process to sync back to mssql
    • databricks - some data ETL'd to databricks and then read back in reporting sections in the web app.

     

    Most developers don't work with the entire app and all the dbs. It's more that the app has become complex as people keep adding platforms to it and certain teams need knowledge on how to work with those areas. Most devs know MSSQL and Redis. Infrastructure people have to know it all

     

  • Doctor Who 2 wrote:

    WOW, Steve, I didn't realize that the world is moving in a direction like this. I trust you when you say people (companies) are adopting multiple database platforms that is more than 3 at a time in one software solution. It isn't my experience and it certainly isn't what we do where I work, but I appreciate knowing this. I'll have to work on changing my mind and thought processes.

    It's in two ways. some companes have lots of platforms, but an app might use only one. So a web app on SQL Server, or an ERP with Oracle.

    Others use multiple database platforms in an app, whcih might be different sections in the app or even a micro/mini services architecture where a service uses a platform. I know of a customer where they have:

    • sql server - main OLTP db, most of the web app connects here, I think there are actually 2 dbs here
    • elasticsearch - accessed by search functions in the web app, data updated by backend process from MSSQl->ES
    • postgresql - added new functionality in the app, decided to store it in a new db
    • redis - high level caching. Some data checked in redis, read from MSSQL if invalid and stored back in redis for speed. Updates there with a periodic process to sync back to mssql
    • databricks - some data ETL'd to databricks and then read back in reporting sections in the web app.

     

    Most developers don't work with the entire app and all the dbs. It's more that the app has become complex as people keep adding platforms to it and certain teams need knowledge on how to work with those areas. Most devs know MSSQL and Redis. Infrastructure people have to know it all

     

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