Skip to main content

Navigating the Complexities of the Modern Database Landscape

Tushita Gupta
Head of Product Design
Redgate Software

In today's data-driven world, the management of databases has become increasingly complex and critical. The following are findings from Redgate's 2025 The State of the Database Landscape report.

Rising Concerns Over Data Security

One of the most significant findings of the report is the growing concern over data security and access controls. With 38% of IT teams expressing worries about managing different technologies securely, this marks a notable 12% increase from the previous year, exacerbated as new regulations come putting increased pressure to ensure sensitive data is secured.

Interestingly, 21% of respondents are hesitant to adopt more than one database type due to security and compliance issues, despite the potential advantages that multi-platform environments can offer.

Adoption of Multi-Platform Database Environments

Flexibility, cost savings, and the need to serve diverse use cases are driving nearly three-quarters (74%) of IT teams to use two or more database platforms. A notable 25% of respondents are managing more than four database platforms, a trend that underscores the need for robust database management strategies to ensure data consistency, security, and compliance.

The report also highlights the growing preference for versatile and scalable database solutions, reflecting the evolving demands of modern data-driven applications and the need for robust data management strategies.

Challenges in Database Management

The complexity of managing multiple database platforms is a significant challenge for IT teams. The report highlights that 68% of teams do not have formal processes in place to share best practices, increasing the likelihood of human error and security vulnerabilities. This lack of formal processes can exacerbate the risks associated with managing complex database environments.

The Importance of Testing and Security Practices

The proliferation of database types and the pressure to deliver applications and services swiftly make testing a core component of modern database management. However, 71% of organizations still rely on manual methods to create test data, a time-consuming and high-risk strategy. This has led to 25% of IT leaders expressing concern about the pressure on their teams to manage test data effectively.

Despite these challenges, there is a silver lining. Organizations are becoming more aware of data security measures, with only 14% now lacking an approach for handling sensitive data, a significant decrease from 35% in 2023. This growing awareness is a positive sign that organizations are taking steps to improve their data security practices.

Addressing the Skills Gap

One of the most surprising findings from this year's survey is the ongoing skills gap. The report notes that 44% of data professionals would like professional development opportunities to be provided weekly or monthly, but two-thirds (67%) cite lack of time as the main barrier to participating in training. Organizations need to prioritize professional development and recognize that the skills gap is a critical challenge. Ensuring that the right people are in place to manage data securely and compliantly in an increasingly complex and diverse technology estate is essential for data protection and business success.

The Impact of AI Adoption

Security concerns continue to shape business practices as organizations consider the benefits of AI adoption. While 69% plan to adopt AI capabilities in the next two years, concerns about AI usage in database management have risen sharply. 61% of respondents now cite data security and privacy as key concerns, up from 41% in 2023. This highlights the need for organizations to carefully consider the security implications of integrating AI into their database management processes.

Conclusion

As organizations navigate the complexities of multi-platform database environments, the emphasis on data security, compliance, and professional development remains paramount. By addressing these challenges head-on, organizations can better manage their data and ensure that they are well-positioned to succeed in an increasingly complex and data-driven world.

Tushita Gupta is Head of Product Design at Redgate Software

Hot Topics

The Latest

Businesses that face downtime or outages risk financial and reputational damage, as well as reducing partner, shareholder, and customer trust. One of the major challenges that enterprises face is implementing a robust business continuity plan. What's the solution? The answer may lie in disaster recovery tactics such as truly immutable storage and regular disaster recovery testing ...

IT spending is expected to jump nearly 10% in 2025, and organizations are now facing pressure to manage costs without slowing down critical functions like observability. To meet the challenge, leaders are turning to smarter, more cost effective business strategies. Enter stage right: OpenTelemetry, the missing piece of the puzzle that is no longer just an option but rather a strategic advantage ...

Amidst the threat of cyberhacks and data breaches, companies install several security measures to keep their business safely afloat. These measures aim to protect businesses, employees, and crucial data. Yet, employees perceive them as burdensome. Frustrated with complex logins, slow access, and constant security checks, workers decide to completely bypass all security set-ups ...

Image
Cloudbrink's Personal SASE services provide last-mile acceleration and reduction in latency

In MEAN TIME TO INSIGHT Episode 13, Shamus McGillicuddy, VP of Research, Network Infrastructure and Operations, at EMA discusses hybrid multi-cloud networking strategy ... 

In high-traffic environments, the sheer volume and unpredictable nature of network incidents can quickly overwhelm even the most skilled teams, hindering their ability to react swiftly and effectively, potentially impacting service availability and overall business performance. This is where closed-loop remediation comes into the picture: an IT management concept designed to address the escalating complexity of modern networks ...

In 2025, enterprise workflows are undergoing a seismic shift. Propelled by breakthroughs in generative AI (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), and natural language processing (NLP), a new paradigm is emerging — agentic AI. This technology is not just automating tasks; it's reimagining how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and operate at scale ...

In the early days of the cloud revolution, business leaders perceived cloud services as a means of sidelining IT organizations. IT was too slow, too expensive, or incapable of supporting new technologies. With a team of developers, line of business managers could deploy new applications and services in the cloud. IT has been fighting to retake control ever since. Today, IT is back in the driver's seat, according to new research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) ...

In today's fast-paced and increasingly complex network environments, Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are the backbone of ensuring continuous uptime, smooth service delivery, and rapid issue resolution. However, the challenges faced by NOC teams are only growing. In a recent study, 78% state network complexity has grown significantly over the last few years while 84% regularly learn about network issues from users. It is imperative we adopt a new approach to managing today's network experiences ...

Image
Broadcom

From growing reliance on FinOps teams to the increasing attention on artificial intelligence (AI), and software licensing, the Flexera 2025 State of the Cloud Report digs into how organizations are improving cloud spend efficiency, while tackling the complexities of emerging technologies ...

Today, organizations are generating and processing more data than ever before. From training AI models to running complex analytics, massive datasets have become the backbone of innovation. However, as businesses embrace the cloud for its scalability and flexibility, a new challenge arises: managing the soaring costs of storing and processing this data ...

Navigating the Complexities of the Modern Database Landscape

Tushita Gupta
Head of Product Design
Redgate Software

In today's data-driven world, the management of databases has become increasingly complex and critical. The following are findings from Redgate's 2025 The State of the Database Landscape report.

Rising Concerns Over Data Security

One of the most significant findings of the report is the growing concern over data security and access controls. With 38% of IT teams expressing worries about managing different technologies securely, this marks a notable 12% increase from the previous year, exacerbated as new regulations come putting increased pressure to ensure sensitive data is secured.

Interestingly, 21% of respondents are hesitant to adopt more than one database type due to security and compliance issues, despite the potential advantages that multi-platform environments can offer.

Adoption of Multi-Platform Database Environments

Flexibility, cost savings, and the need to serve diverse use cases are driving nearly three-quarters (74%) of IT teams to use two or more database platforms. A notable 25% of respondents are managing more than four database platforms, a trend that underscores the need for robust database management strategies to ensure data consistency, security, and compliance.

The report also highlights the growing preference for versatile and scalable database solutions, reflecting the evolving demands of modern data-driven applications and the need for robust data management strategies.

Challenges in Database Management

The complexity of managing multiple database platforms is a significant challenge for IT teams. The report highlights that 68% of teams do not have formal processes in place to share best practices, increasing the likelihood of human error and security vulnerabilities. This lack of formal processes can exacerbate the risks associated with managing complex database environments.

The Importance of Testing and Security Practices

The proliferation of database types and the pressure to deliver applications and services swiftly make testing a core component of modern database management. However, 71% of organizations still rely on manual methods to create test data, a time-consuming and high-risk strategy. This has led to 25% of IT leaders expressing concern about the pressure on their teams to manage test data effectively.

Despite these challenges, there is a silver lining. Organizations are becoming more aware of data security measures, with only 14% now lacking an approach for handling sensitive data, a significant decrease from 35% in 2023. This growing awareness is a positive sign that organizations are taking steps to improve their data security practices.

Addressing the Skills Gap

One of the most surprising findings from this year's survey is the ongoing skills gap. The report notes that 44% of data professionals would like professional development opportunities to be provided weekly or monthly, but two-thirds (67%) cite lack of time as the main barrier to participating in training. Organizations need to prioritize professional development and recognize that the skills gap is a critical challenge. Ensuring that the right people are in place to manage data securely and compliantly in an increasingly complex and diverse technology estate is essential for data protection and business success.

The Impact of AI Adoption

Security concerns continue to shape business practices as organizations consider the benefits of AI adoption. While 69% plan to adopt AI capabilities in the next two years, concerns about AI usage in database management have risen sharply. 61% of respondents now cite data security and privacy as key concerns, up from 41% in 2023. This highlights the need for organizations to carefully consider the security implications of integrating AI into their database management processes.

Conclusion

As organizations navigate the complexities of multi-platform database environments, the emphasis on data security, compliance, and professional development remains paramount. By addressing these challenges head-on, organizations can better manage their data and ensure that they are well-positioned to succeed in an increasingly complex and data-driven world.

Tushita Gupta is Head of Product Design at Redgate Software

Hot Topics

The Latest

Businesses that face downtime or outages risk financial and reputational damage, as well as reducing partner, shareholder, and customer trust. One of the major challenges that enterprises face is implementing a robust business continuity plan. What's the solution? The answer may lie in disaster recovery tactics such as truly immutable storage and regular disaster recovery testing ...

IT spending is expected to jump nearly 10% in 2025, and organizations are now facing pressure to manage costs without slowing down critical functions like observability. To meet the challenge, leaders are turning to smarter, more cost effective business strategies. Enter stage right: OpenTelemetry, the missing piece of the puzzle that is no longer just an option but rather a strategic advantage ...

Amidst the threat of cyberhacks and data breaches, companies install several security measures to keep their business safely afloat. These measures aim to protect businesses, employees, and crucial data. Yet, employees perceive them as burdensome. Frustrated with complex logins, slow access, and constant security checks, workers decide to completely bypass all security set-ups ...

Image
Cloudbrink's Personal SASE services provide last-mile acceleration and reduction in latency

In MEAN TIME TO INSIGHT Episode 13, Shamus McGillicuddy, VP of Research, Network Infrastructure and Operations, at EMA discusses hybrid multi-cloud networking strategy ... 

In high-traffic environments, the sheer volume and unpredictable nature of network incidents can quickly overwhelm even the most skilled teams, hindering their ability to react swiftly and effectively, potentially impacting service availability and overall business performance. This is where closed-loop remediation comes into the picture: an IT management concept designed to address the escalating complexity of modern networks ...

In 2025, enterprise workflows are undergoing a seismic shift. Propelled by breakthroughs in generative AI (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), and natural language processing (NLP), a new paradigm is emerging — agentic AI. This technology is not just automating tasks; it's reimagining how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and operate at scale ...

In the early days of the cloud revolution, business leaders perceived cloud services as a means of sidelining IT organizations. IT was too slow, too expensive, or incapable of supporting new technologies. With a team of developers, line of business managers could deploy new applications and services in the cloud. IT has been fighting to retake control ever since. Today, IT is back in the driver's seat, according to new research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) ...

In today's fast-paced and increasingly complex network environments, Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are the backbone of ensuring continuous uptime, smooth service delivery, and rapid issue resolution. However, the challenges faced by NOC teams are only growing. In a recent study, 78% state network complexity has grown significantly over the last few years while 84% regularly learn about network issues from users. It is imperative we adopt a new approach to managing today's network experiences ...

Image
Broadcom

From growing reliance on FinOps teams to the increasing attention on artificial intelligence (AI), and software licensing, the Flexera 2025 State of the Cloud Report digs into how organizations are improving cloud spend efficiency, while tackling the complexities of emerging technologies ...

Today, organizations are generating and processing more data than ever before. From training AI models to running complex analytics, massive datasets have become the backbone of innovation. However, as businesses embrace the cloud for its scalability and flexibility, a new challenge arises: managing the soaring costs of storing and processing this data ...