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.