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Custom Database Design, Development and
Maintenance
A
relational database management system (RDMBS) is an essential tool for
managing and accessing information resources in many environments from
the more traditional uses in business, research, and education contexts,
to newer applications. In addition, databases help fuel virtually all
search engines on the Internet. However, despite the importance of a good
database for managing and accessing information resources, many
organizations have found them out of reach of their financial resources.
Historically, database systems been an expensive proposition with vendors
charging healthy fees both for software and for support, and because
database engines often had substantial hardware requirements to run with
any reasonable performance, the cost was even greater.
Solutions
I n
recent years, database software has become more accessible free or at a
low cost via the Internet. In addition, Personal computers (PCs) have
become inexpensive but powerful, and an entire community of software
developers and engineers known as the Open Source Community has develop
high-performance operating systems to drive these PCs to their full
capabilities. These efforts to make software available to anyone who
wants it have resulted in what is now called the Open Source movement,
and have produced many important pieces of software. As result, this can
save businesses a significant amount of financial investments by avoiding
high costs associated with purchasing off-the-shelf commercially
available Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). Typically,
RDBMS(s) are priced relative to the number of licenses per site. Site
licenses for RDBMS can cost organizations thousands of dollars along not
to include maintenance and support that is usually provided by the
database vendor.
For
our customers, ASC Technologies LLC can develop relational database
systems to include custom design, programming, administration,
maintenance and support taking the above parameters in consideration.
These products and services are designed and developed utilizing the
company's key in-house Capability Maturity Model (CMM) framework and
industry standard Software Engineering practices. The Capability Maturity
Model for Software development provides software organizations with
guidance on how to gain control of their processes for developing and
maintaining software and how to evolve toward a culture of software
engineering and management excellence. The CMM was designed to guide
software organizations in selecting process improvements strategies by
determining current process maturity and identifying the few issues most
critical to software quality and process improvement. ASC Technologies
believes that a mature software company possesses a company-wide ability
for managing software development and maintenance processes. The software
process is accurately communicated to both existing staff and new
employees, and work activities are carried out according to the planned
process. The processes mandated are fit for use and consistent with the
way work actually is done. These defined processes are updated when
necessary, and improvements are developed through controlled pilot-tests
and/or cost benefit analyses. Roles and responsibilities within the
defined process are clear throughout the project and across the organization.
More importantly, in a mature organization, managers monitor the quality
of the software products and customer satisfaction. Although software
engineers and managers know their problems in detail, they may disagree
on which improvements are most important. Without an organized strategy
for improvement, it's difficult to achieve consensus between management
and the professional staff on what priority improvements activities to
undertake.
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