Nowadays, if your business isn’t leveraging data in its day-to-day operations, it’s likely falling behind. Big data and analytics is providing a wide range of functionalities to businesses of all shapes and sizes, allowing them to find powerful ways forward that build upon the insights you gain from data. That being said, you may have a bigger workload than you actually need to if you don’t have the right approach to managing your data. This is the case with database virtualization, which is providing a variety of benefits for small businesses and enterprise-level companies alike. Learn more about database virtualization below, as well as how a virtual database can help transform your business in exciting ways.

What is database virtualization?

More and more companies are moving business online, which is why it’s important to think about the virtual systems that you’re using in every facet of your business. That being said, you may have database servers in disparate places or systems, meaning that it can be helpful to have one true source database to make sure that you’re pulling queries from the proper place. A virtual database makes this task much simpler since you add a virtual layer on top of your existing data architecture. In a nutshell, using a virtual environment for your data means that your business users will be able to access and utilize data at lightning speed and scalability, thanks to the impact of virtual databases. Another way to think about a virtual database is as a bridge between your data sources and your analytics platform which allows for to-the-minute visualization in real-time.

How can database virtualization transform your business?

Data virtualization can transform your business in dozens of different ways, mainly when it comes to managing your data and layering powerful analytics on top of it. With data virtualization, you have the opportunity to execute advanced queries that leverage your data in dynamic ways, including predictive analytics and visualization tools that allow you to do things that database software on a physical machine couldn’t accomplish. Scalability is a major benefit of database virtualization, since you can offer thousands of end users a way to use data on hundreds of different projects, boosting your workload in dynamic ways.

Some of the major benefits of data virtualization involve two specific use cases in analytics and operations. When it comes to improving your analytics processes as a business, virtualization can add a layer of semantics to your data, better prepare data, and manage regulatory aspects of data. In the world of operations, virtualization can improve your workload by migrating legacy systems, assist with master data management (MDM), and add an abstract layer of data for operational data storage. All of these benefits ultimately lead to a faster way of using and attaining data insights, real-time insights, cost avoidance, and cost reduction. As such, if you aren’t already finding ways to add virtualization into your workload it behooves you to find ways that your database server can leverage virtualization.

Becoming data-driven is integral to staying competitive in today’s fast-based world of business. Even so, just because you’re using data doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re using that data as effectively as you could be. With the benefits offered by data virtualization, you can gain a competitive edge in the way your business uses data in real-time. From scaling your data faster to offering predictive analytics and visualization features to better analyze various data insights, virtualization is a major boon for companies of all sizes. Especially if you’re interested in finding ways to improve your analytics and operational processes, moving to virtualization instead of a traditional database server can be a great choice.