The IT landscape continues to evolve. The diverse influences impacting the IT scene today include expanding streams of Internet of Things data, the interrelated forces of virtualization and cloud technologies, the need for real-time computing, the rise of data lakes, and the continuing demand for high-level data analytics. Along with those trends, there are also pressing business requirements for high availability and performance, intensifying demand for self-service data access, and a growing understanding of the need for data governance and data quality in light of strict regulatory requirements such as GDPR.
At the same time, data is just getting bigger, and it is growing faster. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Unisphere Research and sponsored by Quest, while multi-terabyte databases were only evident at very large enterprises just a few years ago, today, half of the data managers responding to the survey currently have databases exceeding 10TB, and close to a third, 30%, manage databases exceeding 50TB in size. This is creating a strain on organizations to keep data available, according to the survey, with nearly two thirds of respondents saying that application availability is an “extremely critical concern.”
While the mainframe and relational and MultiValue databases are still trusted workhorses, there are now many additional options for storing and processing data, including Hadoop, and NoSQL and “translytical” databases. Although still in the early stages, organizations are also looking at how the blockchain distributed ledger technology can address new data management needs, while AI and machine learning are being tapped to add automation to routine tasks, helping data management experts focus on higher-level issues. And, the move to the cloud is well underway with hybrid arrangements most favored that include on-premise deployments coupled with public or private clouds.
As a result, today, more than ever, it is a heterogeneous world. In the 5 years since Database Trends and Applications published the first DBTA 100 list, the IT landscape has become more complex—and that trend is certainly continuing. However, innovative vendors are helping to point the way forward with technologies and services to take advantage of the wealth of data that is pouring into companies.
This sixth DBTA 100 list spans a wide variety of companies that are each addressing the evolving demands for hardware, software, and services. Some are long-standing companies with well-established offerings that have evolved over time, while others are much newer to the data scene.
In addition to the list itself, in this issue, we have included “View From The Top” articles written by executives who provide their own points of view on how their companies are uniquely addressing today’s data challenges.
We encourage you to explore these companies and their offerings. You can also review original research reports in Unisphere Research’s library at www.dbta.com/DBTA-Downloads/ResearchReports. And, to stay on top of the latest news, IT trends, and research, go to www.dbta.com.