If you run an organization of any reasonable size, you’ve surely had the struggle of trying to decide which database technology to use. There are so many different options out there that it’s almost impossible to make sense of it all. How do you know if it’s going to meet your needs when the specifications just seem to be a list of jargon that only a few understand? This market is incredibly competitive, new technologies are leading to innovations, and database technologies are improving as the year’s progress. Here is a look at 4 types of database technologies that could meet your needs as we move further into the 21st century:

IBM DB2

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past half century, you’ll know that IBM is one of the market leaders in the tech industry. They’ve maintained this position by continuing to offer products that get the job done. Their database offering does exactly the same, with the most recent version released in June 2016. If you have a system that runs on an IBM processor, then you’ll benefit from software that is fully optimized to run efficiently on this set up. If you don’t, it’s still worth a strong consideration, especially if you’re still operating with Oracle. Comparisons show that customers who move from Oracle software over to IBM can knock as much as 30% off the price. You’d be mad not to look into it.

Oracle 12c

Obviously, it’s hard to talk about one without the other. Since the 70’s, Oracle have established themselves as the leading force in the database systems market, providing inventive solutions to many business’ everyday problems. Oracle offer unique value in their complete knowledge of cloud technology. Combined with their effective database software, the 12c package will enable your employees to input data across geographic locations to maximise efficiency. Not only that, the database is then backed up remotely so you don’t need to worry about loss of data. If you’re looking for a future-proof database software solution need to seriously consider cloud technology, whether or not you settle on Oracle’s offering.

Microsoft SQL

Of course, the tech giant Microsoft has their fingers in pretty much all the lucrative pies in the industry. If you’ve ever studied IT, then it’s almost certain that you’re familiar with some version of SQL. The value in this offering is that it works seamlessly with Windows OS, which so many of our laptops and PC’s still run today. It’s also relatively user friendly for a database, which is great for you and your employees and saves time figuring out how to actually use it. Microsoft SQL is great for local on-premises databases but they also offer cloud functionality if you need to share data nationally or even internationally. Microsoft are investing huge sums of money into their cloud business, so if you’re really sold on the cloud’s ability to improve the flow of information throughout your organisation, you should really look into SQL.

Teradata

Teradata is an old stalwart of the industry, having played a huge role in helping warehouse operators to make sense of all that data. Since then, the firm has gone from strength to strength and were the first firm to smash the 1TB mark. It’s because of this reason that the Teradata brand will always be many people’s first port of call when they need database solutions. Due to their impressive legacy and extensive knowledge of the product, you’ll find it to be well honed and an effective tool, even today when the industry is moving on and more people are looking towards to latest trend in IoT (Internet of Things). When it comes to database technology you know you’re always in safe hands with Teradata.

Databases are a great wat to manage huge sets of data, and today’s software will enable you to do this more efficiently than ever before. There’s some really effective software out there as proven above, but there’s many more viable options if you’re looking for a smaller, tailored fit to your organisation. The main factors to remember are what additional capabilities the database software offers, e.g. cloud compatibility and ease of use. At the end of the day, the end goal is to improve the efficiency of your organisation and these four top database technologies will smash it out of the park.