There is a danger of repetition and redundancy, the same application may be developed and the same data may be stored in many different systems. The data on the systems are also not readily shareable. The data may not be as reliable and may not be updated as often as desirable. The databases are not always secure nor are they always backed up. When the user is no longer in charge of the database, the application and data are often lost because they are not documented or the organization does not realize they exist. Finally, some individuals may spend more time fiddling with the database and not getting their assigned work done.
Transparency in the context of a hybrid architecture is that the user sees the database system as a seamless system that readily provides needed information. The location of the data, the storage format, and the access method should be invisible to the user.
DBMS independence refers to the ability to set an organizational standard for DBMSs and allow the local sites to utilize whatever DBMS they want as long as it confirms to the organizational standard. For instance, the standard may be a relational database that uses standard SQL in which case several different DBMSs can be used that fit this requirement.
Remote job entry allows the professor to manage her data locally while executing the complex model remotely.
Students should investigate the options offered by firms such as Amazon web services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Because of the changing nature of these offerings, the answer keeps changing, but students should consider the ability to create a short-term cluster, ease of software installation, ease of access, ease of use by students, and cost.
This page is part of the promotional and support material for Data Management (open edition) by Richard T. Watson |