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?

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.

[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.

[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.

[spitfire]

Yes. Easily.

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

[biroran]

This is based on experience? Please share.