So, you’re looking for an Oracle Database Managed Service Provider but unsure where to start.
Choosing the right database partner that properly understands your needs is paramount, and it’s a high stakes decision. Get it right and you have a solid base from which to achieve your key business goals. Conversely, getting it wrong means disaster due to massive expenses, poor application performance, and even risks of downtime.
With so many options, all with varying levels of success, experience, and knowledge, it’s a difficult decision to make. But what do you actually need to look for in an Oracle Database Services Provider?
Assess their relationship with Oracle
There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, you want an Oracle Database Services Provider who has a wealth of experience working with Oracle. Especially when it comes to Oracle licensing, which can be a minefield at the best of times.
For example, look for the ‘Oracle Partner’ logo on their website (typically in the website footer or on a dedicated partner page).
The ideal partner has worked with Oracle for a long time and possesses a whole host of contacts within Oracle who they can call upon on your behalf. These strong relationships demonstrate trust and experience.
On the other hand, beware of Oracle Database Managed Service Providers that are too close. You need to work with an independent database expert in order to ensure that the advice and consultancy you’re given is imparted with purely your organisation in mind.
Read their case studies
There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, you want an Oracle Database Services Provider who has a wealth of experience working with Oracle. Especially when it comes to Oracle licensing, which can be a minefield at the best of times.
For example, look for the ‘Oracle Partner’ logo on their website (typically in the website footer or on a dedicated partner page).
The ideal partner has worked with Oracle for a long time and possesses a whole host of contacts within Oracle who they can call upon on your behalf. These strong relationships demonstrate trust and experience.
On the other hand, beware of Oracle Database Managed Service Providers that are too close. You need to work with an independent database expert in order to ensure that the advice and consultancy you’re given is imparted with purely your organisation in mind.
Database Migration Success Story
Find out how we helped a major shipping port modernise their database infrastructure.
Knowledge of your industry
One of the main things you’ll want to avoid in an Oracle Database Service Provider is a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach – because it doesn’t. Especially when it comes to an organisation’s database requirements.
Look for signs of knowledge and experience in your specific industry. The best database support service providers these days are the ones that understand an industry’s major pain points, and deliver a service with those in mind.
Naturally, your organisation will have its own specific requirements, but prior knowledge of your industry means that both your organisation and the database partner are on the same page from the beginning or – to continue the literary analogy – at least in the same chapter.
You can typically find these experiences on dedicated industry-related pages, such as database services for rail & transport, financial services, local government and so on. You’ll also find these proofs in case studies, testimonials, and blogs.
If you’re unable to find these, but the database support service provider appears to be a good fit, don’t be shy about getting in touch with them and asking.
What are their cloud offerings?
Even if cloud database services are not on your horizons right now, they may well be in the next few years.
Gartner’s 2019 prediction that 75% of databases will be in the cloud by 2023 may have been a little pre-emptive, but it’s undeniable that the upward industry trend is in favour of cloud. From a consumer standpoint, the cloud is more scalable, and used efficiently, even lowers costs. From Oracle’s perspective, it means you’re more invested in their ecosystem.
So it’s no surprise that Oracle is making a significant push towards OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) and Autonomous Database, keen to move their customers into the cloud – if not now, then in the near future.
This means that you’ll want to work with an Oracle database managed service provider that embraces this future reality – and is sufficiently prepared for it – in addition to providing excellent on-prem database services.
Their cloud proposition will say a lot about their wider approach to providing proactive managed database services.
What versions of Oracle do they support?
Does your prospective Oracle managed service provider support the latest versions of Oracle database? Or if you’re on an older version, do they have the in-house skills to migrate you to a more recent version? If not, it’s worth asking why.
It’s crucial to know whether your Oracle database services partner can support your estate both now and in the future. This will give you an insight into their experience, depth of knowledge, and how proactive the business is with internal upskilling.
Do they understand your commercial objectives?
Finally, though just as importantly, does your potential Oracle database managed service provider understand your goals, and their role in helping you meet them.
The best Oracle database partners have strong commercial and strategic acumen, and will work alongside your organisation to ensure that your database is in the right shape to help you achieve these goals.
Oracle Database Managed Services from Xynomix
Xynomix (zai-nom-icks) is a fully independent provider of Database Managed Services & Consultancy. An experienced and well-respected Oracle partner, Xynomix possesses the depth of knowledge, experience, and versatility required to support your business.
Contact Xynomix
Xynomix has unrivalled experience across the full range of Oracle and Microsoft SQL server database environments. As industry-leaders in managed database services and consultancy, we are perfectly positioned to offer independent enterprise-grade support to keep your critical systems up and performing perfectly. Get in touch now on 0345 222 9600 or via [email protected].
