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What is an Online Database?

Online Database

An online database is much like a regular database – a set of records in essence – except that it is maintained online, and not on a system inside your own company. Hence your data is maintained somewhere on an online database company’s server, away from your company office. The primary advantage that online databases have over offline storage is that they are accessible from anywhere on a network such as the internet.

Why Does Your Business Need Online Storage?

The primary advantage that online databases have over offline storage is that they are accessible from anywhere on a network such as the internet. You can give your clients, partners or other stakeholders password-protected access to specific files stored on the remote server. It is a hassle free way of sharing information; there is no need to email large files or consider other ways of sharing them – all you have to do is ask the person who needs access to your files to log into your database.

However, there is one drawback: access to data can be slower when you are using an online database as opposed to local data storage. This is particularly true if you are attempting to transfer or access large files. This may require you to invest in high speed internet and network devices. If your data storage and access needs are sufficiently great, however, this is probably a worthy investment.

Which Online Database Software to Use?

There are many online database software available that can reliably and securely save all the data you want. There are both low cost and premium-cost solutions available. These include Intuit’s Quickbase, Trackvia, Dabble DB and Google Docs. You can choose specific software depending on exactly what your needs are, how much you will need to customize the software, and how much you can afford to pay.
For instance, QuickBase is best for those businesses that require a very powerful application, with programming capability. If you are employing a separate database management staff then this is the ideal application to use and allows you to create exactly the database that is optimized to fit your business needs. Dabble DB and Trackvia are good for beginners – they do allow some customization and are similar to QuickBase, but they are quicker and easier to work with.
Google Docs is probably the simplest, quickest and most user friendly online database application you will find anywhere. It is a good option for beginners and has the additional advantage of being free. The downside is that it does not have the functionality provided by the above mentioned applications.