Modernizing Enterprise Database Infrastructure to Overcome Challenges and Optimize Performance

Ashish Ray, VP, Mission-Critical Database Technologies, Oracle

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In an exclusive interview with CIOTechOutlook Magazine, Ashish Ray, VP of Mission-Critical Database Technologies at Oracle, shares his insights on the complexities that arise with mission-critical databases as organizations scale to handle higher volumes of incoming data while data security is given utmost importance without compromising any of the performance metrics. His product responsibilities include Exadata, Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance, Oracle Database’s High Availability solutions, and all associated Platform as a Service (PaaS) Cloud Services.

With the explosion of data volume and velocity, what are the biggest challenges organizations face in managing mission-critical databases?

India's rapid digitalization, particularly with initiatives like UPI, has led to an exponential increase in data volumes. As a result, three critical aspects—data access, data capacity reduction, and data protection—have become essential for businesses and public institutions. Companies must ensure that their data infrastructure is robust enough to handle large-scale transactions without disruptions. 

Seamless data access is a priority, given the sheer number of users relying on digital transactions daily. Platforms must be scalable to accommodate millions of concurrent transactions while maintaining high availability and performance. Services like UPI operate 24/7, and even a few seconds of downtime can have severe economic consequences. To prevent such risks, technologies like Oracle Database 2.3 AI and Exadata are designed to ensure uninterrupted, high-speed transactions. These platforms guarantee fault tolerance, allowing applications to function smoothly even if minor failures occur within the system. The goal is to process transactions within microseconds, ensuring that users can rely on the system regardless of their location or the number of people accessing it simultaneously. 

With the surge in data generation, businesses must also focus on data capacity reduction. Digital ecosystems are highly interconnected, with customer data, partner records, product details, and other information flowing seamlessly across global networks. Instead of continuously investing in additional storage servers, companies are turning to advanced data compression techniques. Oracle’s Exadata technology enables businesses to compress data by up to 10 times, significantly optimizing storage space while maintaining performance. This approach not only reduces costs but also ensures that companies can manage growing data volumes efficiently without requiring constant infrastructure upgrades. 

In an era of increasing cybersecurity threats, data protection has become more critical than ever. Cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, pose significant risks to businesses and governments. Oracle’s Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance offers a robust solution by encrypting all stored data, ensuring that even if attackers gain access, they cannot alter or misuse the information. Furthermore, this technology provides businesses with a fully validated backup system that allows them to restore operations quickly in the event of a security breach. Many global enterprises are investing in a combination of Exadata and the Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance to create a resilient data management strategy. 

By addressing data access, capacity, and security, businesses can ensure seamless digital operations while maintaining cost efficiency and resilience against cyber threats. These advancements are crucial for sustaining India's rapidly evolving digital economy, where uninterrupted, secure, and scalable data management is the key to long-term success.

What are the key considerations for enterprises when choosing between on-premise, cloud, or hybrid database solutions?

With Indian customers, digital transformation is a critical factor driving business innovation. There are two key components to consider: core systems and areas where companies are exploring new digital applications, including AI-driven innovations. For businesses focused on digital innovation, transitioning to the cloud is highly advisable. Most companies are not in the IT business; instead, they should concentrate on their core operations. Cloud data centers and cloud regions—developed by companies like Oracle—are designed to take over IT management in a highly scalable, secure, and high-performance environment. 

Consider a company running a short-term marketing campaign for a new product. If the campaign lasts two or three months and targets a test demographic, it requires agility. For instance, a fashion brand testing a new trend or a pharmaceutical company analyzing the effects of a new medicine needs real-time analytics and dashboards. The cloud enables them to quickly upload data securely, run analytics, and execute the campaign without worrying about data center space or provisioning new hardware. This trend is becoming common across various industries, allowing businesses to stay agile and responsive. 

On the other hand, core systems are mission-critical, and companies are taking a more balanced approach. Some businesses prefer to maintain and manage these systems in-house due to their expertise. Oracle offers flexibility—companies can remain on-premises, adopt a hybrid cloud approach with solutions like Exadata Cloud at Customer, or gradually migrate specific modules to the public cloud. The advantage of Oracle’s database technology is its consistency across different environments. No application changes or downtime are required, making the transition seamless for companies as they evolve their infrastructure. 

A significant hesitation among companies is their capacity to handle data surges if their digital initiatives succeed. This is where cloud services play a crucial role. Whether for spiky traffic from large campaigns or mission-critical applications, cloud storage and computing provide the scalability businesses need. 

In a competitive landscape, Oracle differentiates itself by offering a seamless experience across on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud environments. Unlike other cloud providers, Oracle ensures that its database technology remains fully functional and mission-critical across all deployment models. This continuity is essential for businesses that want to modernize without disruptions. Other cloud providers, like AWS, offer cloud-native databases but lack on-premises availability, making migration complex and disruptive. Oracle’s approach allows companies to transition smoothly while maintaining performance, security, and scalability without compromising on their operational continuity.

What advice would you give to enterprises looking to modernize their database strategy while ensuring security, scalability, and cost-effectiveness?

A key piece of advice is to always stay innovative. The rapid explosion of data, coupled with groundbreaking advancements in data management technologies like generative AI, presents immense opportunities. We are fortunate to live in a time where engineering and technical innovations are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Businesses must strike a balance—while safeguarding their core systems, they should also cultivate a dedicated team focused on exploring and adopting new technologies. This forward-looking approach ensures that organizations remain competitive and leverage innovation to enhance business productivity. 

It is perfectly reasonable for companies to be risk-averse when it comes to their core systems. However, that should not come at the expense of innovation. Businesses must equally prioritize technological advancements and create a structured approach to integrate them effectively. 

At the same time, innovation should not be disruptive. If adopting new technologies results in excessive IT restructuring or strains human resources, the return on investment diminishes significantly. At Oracle, we ensure that the adoption of our latest technologies does not lead to such disruptions. Our approach is to introduce innovations that seamlessly integrate into existing systems, allowing businesses to benefit from progress without facing unnecessary operational hurdles.

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