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Database management systems (DBMS) are vital for organizations who wish to efficiently store, retrieve and run queries on the data they use. DBMS offers a lot of advantages over traditional file systems, such as flexibility, backup options, and a greater level of cyber security. Companies that want to scale while maintaining control and integrity of all levels of data turn to database management systems to solve their most common data concerns.
In this article, we discuss database management system case studies and how they have solved challenges and addressed needs for organizations all over the globe.
We summarize the many benefits provided to market-leading enterprise clients by working with some of the major DBMS vendors to provide perspective on real-world DBMS uses and their subsequent outcomes:
5 DBMS case studies
1. On-Demand Online Video Streaming
Hulu and Netflix are able to create their market-disrupting platforms partly through the use of DBMS to keep an accurate inventory of movies and TV shows, while also tracking user preferences.
Streaming platforms are constantly moving petabytes of data in order to operate, which then need to be properly organized, analyzed, and stored. Scalability, availability, and performance are vital for these growing platforms, and a DBMS that can address these needs is crucial.
After comparing many options, early on, Hulu decided to work use Apache Cassandra for its ability to maintain real-time access, while maintaining their vendor Hadoop for long-term storage. Another benefit of shifting some of their database needs to Cassandra was their ability to analyze social data from users, offer messages, and enable the use of cell phones to remotely control devices. Hulu made the important decision to prioritize their DBMS approach by working with Cassandra.
As of 2021, Hulu has reported 43.8 million paid subscribers, with few of them reporting any widespread outages or downtimes.
One of the main advantages Hulu has is giving customers the ability to pause shows and movies and pick up exactly where they had left off, regardless of which device was being used to access the platform. The real-time access provided by Cassandra was vital in being able to provide this feature as well as the ease of maintenance for the DBMS.
2. Virtual reality and the metaverse
Meta is working with the storage company Pure Storage as part of its metaverse development. Meta has stated that its goal is to develop the fastest artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputer on the globe, which will pave the way for augmented reality (AR) devices and platforms. Pure Storage’s ability to analyze unstructured and structured data through the use of the proprietary FlashBlade and FlashArray software was one of the main reasons driving their choice to work with the vendor.
The newly forming metaverse landscape relies on big data and its appropriate management and applications on a variety of levels. By working with Meta’s AI Research SuperCluster, DBMS software will help create AI models that analyze trillions of examples and parse through an ever-increasing mound of new data.
3. The sports industry
The sports industry has been given the chance to expand with the use of DBMS, as it applies to storing and analyzing player statistics, game performance, reports of injuries as well as calculating statistical odds of winning.
The ability to store, organize, and track data using the cloud has opened up possibilities for the industry and increased fan engagement. It has also fueled the burgeoning sports betting industry as well as sports role-playing games, such as fantasy football.
4. The finance and banking industries
An efficient economy relies on being able to reliably track and record transactions that are occurring constantly across the world. This is why so many financial and banking institutions lean on DBMSs to help them securely store, analyze, and send data to their clients and vendors.
JPMorgan Chase works with Tableau for their DBMS software, which helps the financial institution stay compliant with regulations, automates data governance reporting, and provides efficient service to their clients. The software enhanced data accuracy for reporting and helped the marketing department design a better website for customers.
In a technology-driven environment with ample competition from fintech startups, legacy financial institutions have relied on their access to customer data to remain competitive. Tracking customer data as it relates to their journey on JPMorgan Chase’s websites and apps helped their marketing operations team make strategic decisions related to promotional material on their website and mobile application.
5. Predicting the weather
Weather companies rely on complex prediction models that require a constant feed of ever-changing data. All these data-fueled predictions need to be available to weather-predicting apps, websites, and television weather channels. The Weather Company, for example, reports taking in over 20 TB of data per day.
To support this constant influx of data, The Weather Company uses a variety of DBMSs in conjunction with each other to achieve the best results. The company uses the Microsoft SQL Server, Cassandra, MySQL, and more to orchestrate a wide range of weather models that are relevant to different locales across the globe. The accuracy of this data is important, as it could potentially save lives and property in the event of a natural disaster.
Conclusions
We live in a data-driven world in which many decisions are made based on algorithms. Data has supercharged our everyday lives by empowering people and organizations to make strategic decisions based on accurate, real-time information.
Organizations are able to accurately track and analyze data about their customers and the world around them in order to make the best choices.
However, the power of big data can only be harnessed with the use of a database management system that can provide transparency, security, and a high level of organization when accessing and organizing data. The five case studies show how transformational a good DBMS partner can be in fueling growth.
