From ugly Christmas sweaters, to Star Wars themed wall calendars, to coffee cups that say, “Go away, I’m coding,” we’ve all spent countless hours over the holiday graciously receiving, and even giving, presents that are often forgotten the moment they’re unwrapped. But what are some gifts that last, that can help IT teams be more innovative, collaborative and productive in 2024 and beyond? Here’s a quick list.
1. Flexibility and innovation: Open source ✅
IT teams that migrate to open source find it easier to develop and power their modern applications as well as execute large scale growth and transformation projects, without limitations on the tools that can be integrated into their technology stack. Postgres is the ideal open source choice, with its extensive data model, ability to run on every cloud and operating system, and vibrant development community.
Developers love it, too. In StackOverflow’s survey of over 90,000 developers, Postgres was voted the most admired and desired open source database, beating out 31 other databases and taking over the first place spot from MySQL.
Given these preferences, IT teams that adopt Postgres will likely find it easier to attract technical talent. If you deploy it, they will come.
2. The full power of the cloud: Fully managed Postgres in the cloud ✅
In the DevOps trenches, employees need database solutions that are going to keep up with them, support them and empower them. That’s exactly what fully managed PostgreSQL in the cloud does.
As a fully managed Postgres in the cloud solution, EDB Big Animal takes a great deal of administrative and operational labor off of team members. Because it combines the structure and administrative support of a fully managed cloud service provider (CSP) offering with the flexibility of open source, Big Animal is the best of all worlds.
3. Peace of mind: High availability and disaster recovery solutions ✅
Employees tasked with managing databases’ security and availability carry a huge weight on their shoulders, since they’re often the first to feel the consequences of unplanned outages and downtime.
Fortunately, there are lots of ways to ease this burden. Solutions like EDB Postgres Distributed (PGD), for example, can increase confidence and security by enhancing Postgres with up to up to five nines of database uptime. That’s an average of less than 6 minutes of downtime per year!
Automated backups and disaster recovery mechanisms can ensure data integrity and increase peace of mind with the knowledge that data is protected and can be restored in case of unexpected events
4. More time and creative freedom: Workflow automation tools ✅
IT professionals want as much freedom and flexibility as possible to do the work that they love. Unfortunately, only 12% of the average IT budget is allocated towards innovation, according to Gartner’s Key IT Metrics Data 2023. So instead of focusing on strategic and innovative initiatives that bring recognition and results, many IT teams spend their precious time on database monitoring, backups, patching, upgrades and other routine administrative tasks.
Eliminating these time-consuming jobs can free up IT teams to focus on projects that move the needle. One way to do this is with solutions that automate database monitoring and maintenance for those using open source Postgres.
5. A helping hand: Remote DBA ✅
At EDB, we’ve seen how appreciative IT professionals are when they’re able to get support for specific issues or continuous monitoring of CPU usage, memory, connections, replication, bloat and more. It’s why our Remote DBA service is the gift that keeps on giving.
With Remote DBAs helping with routine maintenance and other tasks, IT teams have peace of mind (check off #3 on this list), plus more time (check off #4), because they don’t have to do it all themselves.
6. Tools for career advancement: EDB Postgres training ✅
IT professionals serious about advancing their careers appreciate training and tools designed to give them an edge. And that’s why EDB offers training from the world’s top Postgres experts – for free. Our instructor-led courses boost Postres know-how and prepare attendees for multi-level certification exams, digital badges and the chance to become one of 2,500+ Postgres certified experts. All of which can open more doors for team members.
7. Collaboration: PostgreSQL community ✅
Even though IT professionals are often portrayed as introverts, many seek out open source communities to collaborate, discuss issues and share code. These communities offer participants a place to ask questions, get guidance, and stay updated on the latest developments.
As an open source project, PostgreSQL has long been known for its vibrant and active community. The developers and other IT professionals who make up this community work together to improve and enhance Postgres for the benefit of all.
As the essential drivers behind application innovation, IT professionals are the heartbeat of an organization. But in order for them to do their jobs to the fullest extent, and enjoy the work they do, they don’t need just any old gift. Instead, they need flexibility, freedom, support, community and a database that will grow along with their ambitions. These are the gifts that will retain their worth, long after the season of giving is over.
Want to learn more about the power of Postgres? Check out Episode 1 of our new podcast, The Builders: A Postgres Podcast, titled The Power of Postgres Today and Tomorrow, with Peter Eisentraut. Listen now to hear about exciting developments in the Postgres ecosystem from a core PostgreSQL contributor.