Understanding and Managing Database Growth

Understanding and Managing Database Growth, you say?  Should I start this post by paraphrasing a Drucker quote and saying something about how we need to measure what we wish to improve?  In this case I probably should, because such a quote would be relevant to the topic.

The concept of Database growth leads to a lot of conversations for a number of simple reasons:

• Larger databases require more disk capacity
• Larger databases require more time to move or copy
• Larger databases require large data warehouses (maybe)
• <Insert additional reason>

So database growth is a problem, right?  For the moment, let's say yes, but let's also do something daring and declare that one of your goals is to raise more money through a lot of small donations from new donors.  In this scenario:

More money = more payments
More payments = more donors
More donors = more constituents

Therefore...More money = more problems?

In the above scenario, is database growth bad?  I would argue that it is not.  If we accept that it isn't always bad, then we likely need to accept that some growth is actually pretty good.  The challenge in Blackbaud CRM has usually been with understanding (or measuring) how our database is growing, and developing a plan to manage that growth in a way that lets us keep what we want or need, and remove what we don't.  It's basically the same strategy that has been successfully employed by owners of the mullet hairstyle for decades.  In their case, it requires a mirror and a steady hand holding a set of clippers.  In our case, the mirror is a dashboard and our clippers are some global changes. 

With the release of Service Pack 2, we've introduced the Database Growth Management feature to Blackbaud CRM 4.0.  In simple terms, this feature is a database analysis tool that allows you to view the size of your database and shows you a breakdown of the space used by different data types.  For some of this data, we've given you the ability to globally delete what you no longer want or need. 

To access this tool, go to Administration, and click Database Growth Management in the Administration section. 



From here, you can see trends of how your database is growing, and take action to reduce the size of your database by globally deleting certain data types.  We offer the following global changes today:

• Business Process Output Delete
• Batch Report Delete
• Audit Data Delete

While this feature is capable of providing value in Service Pack 2, we're also interested in understanding what trends you are seeing over time and how we can continue to enhance it.  This is where the measurement will help steer the management.  If you find that the clippers aren't cutting it and you need some scissors (perhaps a Flowbee?), then please let us know.  

I also want to add that there are number of things beyond what I've mentioned that this tool can help you do.  To help explain how it works and how to use it, we've created the Database Growth Management in Blackbaud CRM guide.  It's only 9 pages long with plenty of pictures, so please be sure to give it a read prior to using this exciting new feature.  

-Matt

"If you haven't measured it, managed it, or understood it, then you probably shouldn't just delete it unless you know that you don't need to measure it, manage it, understand it, or show it to an auditor."